Child of Mine
by ninewood
Summary: Based on the book and movie, Me Before You and the book, After You. A/U: Will changes his mind about dying while they holiday in Mauritius. When they return home, they learn about the secret Alicia has kept from him for the last four years. All characters belong to Jojo Moyes.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The steel drums played softly in the background while Will Traynor watched Louisa Clark walking in front of him and he couldn't help, but smile. He never thought he would find his soulmate. He never even knew he had one. Then this pixie of a woman with her wild outfits and her bad jokes came into his life and turned it upside down.

"Why are you looked at me like that?" Louisa asked while walking backwards and he stopped the wheelchair.

"You look amazing," Will said.

"Thank you," she said with a curtsy.

"Will you dance for me?"

She looked a little shocked as she softly laughed and took her sandals off. He watched her dancing on the sand as she slowly spun in a circle and he thought he could feel his heart thumping hard and fast in his chest.

"Come here," he said as he barely nodded his head and she walked to the wheelchair. She looked at him sitting there in a white linen shirt open up enough to show his light brown chest hair, white linen trousers and the brown leather sandals on his feet. "Sit on my lap."

Louisa carefully sat on his lap while sliding her arm around his shoulders and he looked deeply into her eyes. She knew this was their last night together, but she had to try one last time to stop him from going to Switzerland.

"I have something to tell you," she said.

"What is it?" he asked with a hint of a smile.

"I know about Switzerland."

"When…? When did you find out?" he asked with a stunned look.

"It was a few months ago," she said with a sigh. "I overheard your mother and sister talking about it."

"I see."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes."

"Isn't there anything I can do to talk you out of it?" she asked with a tremble to her voice.

"Clark…"

"I love you," she said and he smiled.

"I love you, too."

"Then don't go through with it," she said on the verge of tears.

"Oh, please, don't cry," he said and she wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. "I need you to understand I'm just so tired of being in pain. I'm tired of being exhausted. I'm tired of waking up in the morning and wishing it was over."

"But killing yourself…"

"I tried that once already," he said and she lightly turned his left wrist over and moved her finger along the scar.

"But you're still here."

"I don't want to be here! Not like this!"

"You not being able to move…! Being in this chair…! That doesn't matter! Not to me!"

"It does matter to me! You never knew me before! I loved my life!" he said and rolled his eyes with a sigh. "I…really loved it!"

"Why can't you give this life a chance?!"

"I don't want to!"

"Why?!"

"Do you have any idea what it's like to see you walking around the annex in those crazy outfits or if I saw you…naked…and not be able to…!? God, Clark, you have no idea what I want to do to you right now!" he said with a shaky laugh.

"What do you want to do?" she asked and he swore she was blushing.

"I beg your pardon!?"

"What do you want to do to me?" she asked and he gave her a stunned look.

"I want to make love to you on the beach. I want the heavens to see how much I love you and how you are scored on my heart forever," he said and tears appeared in the corners of his blue/grey eyes.

"What else do you want to do?" she asked and used the pads of her thumb to wipe away his tears.

"I want to dance with you under the moonlight," he said and she looked up at the moon.

"Go ahead," she said and he blinked. He flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair moved back and forth then in small circles and she placed her head against his head. He stopped the wheelchair a few minutes later as she smiled and saw the moonlight shimmering in his blue/grey eyes. She moved closer to kiss his lips as she held his face in her hands and he sighed through his nose. She moved back as he smiled while the dimples made deep dents in his cheeks and she frowned. "What's so funny?"

"All of this. All of this is funny. I want to die, but how can I die now that I've found my soulmate?"

"Maybe finding your soulmate means you _are_ supposed to live."

"How can I live when I am never going to get any better than this?! My doctors know it! I know it!"

"You might not be getting better physically, but you are mentally. When I first met you, you were depressed and shut off. Now!? Now, you're happy and more open about what you want and how you feel," she said as she moved her fingers through his dark brown hair.

"If we go forward with this relationship, I don't want you to look back with the tiniest bit of regret of being with me…or pity me."

"I have _never_ regret one _second_ being with you nor would I pity you!"

"You don't know that."

"Will…."

"I want you to go to school."

"I do have an interview at the university I applied to before, but I was waiting to see if I could get you to change your mind before I decide if I was going or not."

"I want you to travel."

"What do you call _this_?!" she asked with a small grin and wide eyes and he gave her an amused look.

"I want you to be happy."

"I _am _happy!"

"I want you to have a life."

"I have lived more in these last six months than I have ever lived in my entire life and that's because of you!" she said and started crying again.

"I want you to have someone who can give you what I can't."

"What more do I need!? I have a nice place to live. I have the best job ever. I have the man I love. _And_ I finally feel my life has purpose."

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes!"

He went silent for a few minutes as she watched his eyes darting around like he was arguing with himself then he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Then… Then I…."

"You've changed your mind!? You don't want to go to Switzerland!?"

"Yes, Clark, I changed my mind and, no, I don't want to go to Switzerland," he said and his eyes widened after she made a little squeal. "What was _that_?!"

"Sorry," she said and carefully hugged him. He leaned his head against her head then she moved back to look at him. He could see the tears in her eyes shimmering in the moonlight then he made a soft moan and she gave him a worried look.

"Don't look at me like that. I was yawning," he said then watched her carefully get off his lap and she walked behind the wheelchair. She put the wheelchair on manual as they headed down the path and Will grinned, half closing his eyes.

Nathan came in the room as Will glanced toward the doorway to Louisa's room and Nathan frowned.

"Hey, Mate," Nathan said as he walked to the bed and Will looked at him.

"Hello," Will said.

"Is everything alright?"

"It depends," Will said and noticed the confused look on Nathan's face. Nathan knew about Will going to Switzerland, but the idea of being a part of Will's dying tied a cold knot in his stomach. "Tell me something. If I wasn't going to Switzerland, would you still take care of me?"

"Yeah, I would."

"Have you called my doctors and specialists and told them to close my files?"

"I was going to do that once we got home."

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't to it."

"Are you…? Are you saying you've changed your mind?" Nathan asked and Will grinned. Nathan made the head of the bed rise until Will was sitting upright then sat down and hugged him. Will placed his head against Nathan's head as he swore his caregiver and best friend was crying and Nathan carefully placed Wil against the pillows. Nathan used the back of his hand to wipe the tears away and took some tissues out of the tissue box on the night table to wipe his nose.

"He told you?" Louisa asked as she came out of the bedroom and headed for the bed. She was wearing her Minnie Mouse t-shirt and white pajamas bottoms with pink polka dots and Will thought she looked adorable.

"Yeah, he did," Nathan said, using the hand sanitizer and she crawled onto the bed to sit next to Will. She watched Nathan examine Will then give him the nighttime medications when Nathan pushed the button and the head of the bed moved down until Will was lying back enough to sleep comfortably. Nathan left the room and closed the door behind him as Louisa carefully crawl under the covers, snuggled next to Will and placed her head in her hand.

"So, what do you want to do now that you're not going to die?" Louisa asked, brushing some hair behind his right ear.

"I don't know yet. I would like to see if I can go back to work," Will said. "I know I wouldn't be able to travel, but I might be able to handle a client or two."

"Would that guy who took your job mind you coming back?"

"Like I told you at Alicia and Rupert's wedding, he's been worried about me coming back for a while now," Will said with laugh. "What about you? Are you going to go to the interview?"

"Yes."

"You're finally breaking things off with Marathon Boy?" he asked and she lightly tapped her fingers on his chest. She knew he was teasing, but she wondered how Patrick will react to the news.

"I think he knows it's over, but it would be nice to talk to him and make a clean break."

"Want me to come with you?"

"No, I can handle it. Though I don't know how my sister is going to react once she finds out."

"What does she…?" he asked then figured something out. "You didn't tell her about me, did you?"

"I had to talk to _someone_ about it," she said and he rolled his eyes.

"Do you have any idea how infuriating you can be sometimes?" he asked, softly laughing.

"But you still love me, right?"

"Oh yes!" he said then lightly moaned. "Sorry."

"That's alright. Go to sleep."

Sitting up, Louisa turned the lights off then snuggled down against him, placed her head against his shoulder and he looked out the window. He heard the soft sound of the ocean while the warn breeze moved the sheer curtains and he started to close his eyes. His breathing evened out after a few minutes as she kissed his cheek, closed her eyes and followed him into sleep.

The following day, Nathan pushed the luggage trolley while Will and Louisa followed him and Will looked straight ahead. He thought about how he was going to explain to his family about not going to Switzerland when the wheelchair stopped and he watched Louisa and Nathan walking away.

"Stop," Will said as Nathan stopped then turned to look at him and noticed the serious look on Will's face.

"What's wrong, Mate?" Nathan asked as he and Louisa walked back to him. Will looked at them then at the people going by when something clicked in his head and his thumb and index finger twitched.

"Clark, sit on my lap," Will said and Louisa carefully sat down. She slid her arm around his shoulders while placing her head against his head and he gave her a serious look. "No, sit up."

"Why?" Louisa asked, sitting up. She squeaked when he flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair soared by the people walking by.

"Oh fuck," Nathan said with a laugh as he quickly pushed the luggage trolley and went to catch up with them.

Louisa laughed while she faced forward and Will was telling people to move out of the way as he looked over her shoulder. He was good at steering the wheelchair as he moved by people, luggage trolleys and a few very startled security guards.

"Slow down!" Louisa said as Will moved by the people carrier, but the wheelchair wasn't slowing down and she tried to keep her balance. Will laughed while some children chased after the wheelchair and Louisa covered her eyes with her hands. Suddenly three security guards appeared in front of them as Will slowed the wheelchair to a stop and grinned.

"Oh boy," Louisa sighed while Nathan stopped behind the wheelchair and panted.

"Hello," Will said as the tallest of the security guards walked closer and crossed his muscular arms over his chest.

"Just what do you think you were doing?" the security guard asked.

"I was having some fun with my friend and girlfriend."

"No, what you're doing is causing a disturbance."

"Look, Mate, give him a break," Nathan said.

"No, I am afraid I can't do that. And it has nothing to do with him being in a wheelchair."

"Would it matter if he was dying and this was one of the last things he wanted to do?" Louisa asked and the security guards look at each other.

"Uh…."

"Mike, let them go," the other security guard said and Mike moved back.

"Just be careful," Mike said and watched as them moved by him.

"Bloody hell! That was brilliant!" Will said after they were out of earshot as she looked back at the security guards and frowned.

"I wasn't being brilliant. I was just asking a question," Louisa said.

"Well, either way, it worked," Nathan said with grin. People walked by them while Louisa looked straight ahead as she sighed and Will stopped the wheelchair. Both of them didn't say a word as Louisa got off his lap then started walking away and they went to catch up with her.

Camilla Traynor watched while Will, Louisa and Nathan came closer and Will stopped the wheelchair a few feet in front of her. She noticed the sad look on Louisa's face as Louisa stood next to the wheelchair and held onto the handle of her suitcase. Camilla felt her heart breaking as she looked from Louisa to Will then back and felt the tears building in the corners of her eyes.

"Hello, William," Camilla said.

"Hello, Mother," he said and Louisa walked by her, heading for the door.

"Miss Clark, wait!" Camilla said as she followed Louisa outside and Louisa turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Traynor, but I… I have to go," Louisa said.

"What about my son!?" Camilla asked, but Louisa only turned and walked away. Sighing, Camilla went back inside then looked at Will and he gave her a blank look.

Will was quiet during the drive back to the annex as he looked straight ahead and Nathan glanced at him from the rearview mirror.

"You ok, Mate?" he asked and Will blinked.

"Yes," Will sighed and placed the back of his head against the headrest. "I just don't understand why she got so upset."

"Your mum's upset because…"

"I'm talking about Louisa."

"Oh," Nathan said as he watched the traffic and strummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "I think she got upset because of that stunt you pulled."

"She seemed to be having fun."

"She was until those security guards showed up."

"They let us go."

"Yeah, but only after she asked them to."

"She didn't ask them to. She asked…"

"She asked what if you were dying and what you were doing was one of the last things you wanted to do."

"Bugger," he said and half closed his eyes. The van moved up the drive then headed for the annex when Nathan smiled and parked the van. Nathan got out of the van, walked to the back of the van, opened the doors and the small lift lowered the wheelchair. Will pushed the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair moved then stopped when he saw Louisa leaning against the car she used to drive him places and she gave them a slightly smug look. Rolling his eyes, he smiled as she walked closer and gently sat on his lap. "Would it help if I said I'm sorry?"

"Yes," she said then took his face in her hands and kissed his lips. Moving back, she smiled at him as Will smiled back and she placed her forehead against his.

Camilla headed for the annex as her disappointment and anger boiled inside her and she tried hard not to cry. She was unable to reach Louisa when she called her phone and Camilla slid the sliding door open then closed the door behind her. Nathan was sitting at the dining room table as he typed on the keyboard of his laptop then looked up and Camilla folded her arms across her chest.

"Hey, Mrs. T," Nathan said.

"Where is William?" she asked, walking to the table.

"He's sleeping."

"Have you heard from Miss Clark?"

"I'm right here," Louisa said as she came out of the kitchen with a plate of biscuits, a pot of tea and two mugs on a tray. Camilla looked at her when Louisa placed the tray on the table and Nathan reached for one of the mugs.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"Will's sleeping."

"I know that."

"I'm sorry if I worried you, but I usually do that so he can have some peace and quiet," Louisa said as she sat down and poured the tea into the mugs. Camilla looked at them as Louisa opened her laptop and Camilla frowned.

"Clark!" suddenly came from the bedroom when Louisa got up and half-ran into the master bedroom. Will watched as she walked to the bed and she thought how cute he looked with slightly messy hair.

"Are you alright?" Louisa asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Yes, but I got scared when I woke up and you weren't here," Will said.

"Are you saying I am supposed to stay in here while you take a kip now?" she asked with an amused look.

"You did when I got sick," he said with a slightly hurt look.

"That was different. I had to make sure you were alright."

"I heard voices. Who are you talking to?"

"Your mother's here," she said and he glanced at the doorway. Camilla stood in doorway as she looked at them and he saw the hurt in her eyes.

"May I come in?" Camilla asked.

"Of course," Will said as she came in the room and stood next to Louisa.

"Do you want me to leave?" Louisa asked.

"No," he said then looked at his mother. "Did you want something, Mother?"

"I wish to discuss what you are going to do in a few days," Camilla said.

"I don't."

"William, please don't make this anymore difficult then it is."

"Do you know what I am going to do in a few days, Clark?" he asked, looking at Louisa.

"No, what are you going to do?" Louisa asked.

"I am going to Switzerland."

"Why are you going there?"

"Do you know what Dignitas is?"

"I've heard of it. Isn't that where people go to die?"

"Yes," he said and Camilla saw just a hint of a smile on their faces.

"Do you two think what he is about to do is some sort of joke?!" Camilla demanded with a crack to her voice.

"Maybe," Will said with a wide grin as Louisa took hold of his right hand and wrapped their fingers together. "Considering the fact that I've decided not to go to Switzerland."

Camilla felt like she was going to faint as she sat down next to Will after Louisa stood up and Camilla took his hand.

"You…? You changed your mind?"

"Yes."

"Did you call and tell them to cancel your appointment?"

"I did, but they wanted to know if I want to reapply in six months."

"I hope you told them no."

"I did."

"What about Nathan, Miss Clark and your doctors and specialists?"

"Nathan will still be taking care of me and told me my files are still open. Also, Louisa is moving in permanently."

"Do you promise to never put us through this again?"

"Yes, I promise this is the last time I try to end my life before my body decides to end it for me."

"William…"

"Sorry," he said as she moved closer and Louisa moved him forward so Camilla could hug him. Will leaned his head against his mother's head as she sniffed and Louisa saw the tears rolling down her cheeks. She leaned Will back against the pillows as Camilla wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, stood up and looked at Louisa. Louisa looked startled when Camilla hugged her then moved back, walked to the door and turned to watch Louisa sit down next to Will.

The rain fell while people walked along the pavement and Rupert Freshwell headed for the stairs. He quickly moved up the stairs then he opened the door and closed the brolly. He walked across the lobby as he headed for the lift and pushed the button on the panel near the lift doors. He watched the numbers going down then the lift doors opened and he waked in the lift car. He pushed the button for the ninth floor as he watched the lift doors close then the lift car moved upward and he looked at the parcel he had in his right hand. The lift doors opened as he walked out and headed down the hallway. He stood in front of the door with **Darren H. Grey – Attorney** painted on the frosted glass then opened the door and walked in the outer office.

"Good afternoon," the secretary said after she looked at him and Rupert smiled.

"Good afternoon. I am Rupert Freshwell. I have a three o'clock appointment with Mister Grey," Rupert said.

"Oh, yes. Hold on," she said when she picked the receiver off the cradle and pushed the button. "Yes, Mister Grey, you're three o'clock is here. Yes, Sir."

She placed the receiver back on the cradle as she looked at Rupert and he held the parcel in both hands.

"Mister Grey will see you now," she said and he nodded. He walked to the door as he opened the door then went in the inner office and the door closed silently behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Georgina Traynor walked quickly down the passageway as she headed for the annex and she wiped the tears from her eyes. She opened the sliding doors when she walked in the main room, but she saw no one there and frowned. She checked the kitchen, the therapy room, the main bedroom then the home theatre room when a sense of panic filed her and she looked toward the intercom. The soft sound of laughter made her look at the sliding doors which lead to the garden when she walked to the sliding glass doors, opened the door on the right, walked outside, closed the door, walked down the path to the gardens and saw Will and Louisa near the stone wall. Louisa was sitting on the top of the stone wall with Will sitting in front of her and Will was laughing at something she had said.

"Your sister's here," Louisa said, watching Georgina walking closer and gently swung her legs back and forth.

"I guess I better go talk to her," Will sighed and moved the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around. Georgina watched him coming toward her then stop the wheelchair and Louisa hopped off the top of the wall, walking away. She sat on the stone bench when she removed the phone out of her jeans pocket and looked at the screen. She pushed the buttons as she brought up the texting application and smiled at the photo of her sister, Katrina, and her two years old nephew, Thomas.

_**We need to talk.**_

Louisa waited until the soft ping came from the phone and she looked at the screen.

_**Does this have to do with your friend?**_

_** Yes.**_

_**Were you able to change his mind?**_

_**No.**_

_**He's still going to kill himself?**_

_**No.**_

She jumped when the phone started ringing and she pushed the button before placing the phone near her right ear.

"Are you serious?!" Katrina asked and Louisa moved the phone away from her ear.

"Yes, I'm serious," Louisa said with a grin.

"But you said you weren't able to change his mind."

"I didn't have to."

"He changed it?"

"Yeah," she said with a nod and looked at Will and Georgina.

"So, what happens now?"

"He's thinking about going back to work and I'm moving in with him,"

"What about Patrick?"

"I'm going to finally breaking things off with him."

"Uh…"

"What?"

"I don't know if I should tell you."

"Treena!' Louisa softly growled then turned away from Will and Georgina.

"I was taking Tommy for a walk and we had gone near the track where Patrick goes for a run. Patrick was there and I saw him chatting with this woman."

"What did she look like?"

"I've never seen her before, but she was tall, had blonde hair and was wearing these really tight running clothes."

Louisa frowned while she tried to remember all of Patrick's running friends when a face appeared in her head and she sighed.

"I think I know who it is."

"Well, I watched them for a bit when he kissed her then they went running."

"Was it a friendly kiss?"

"Uh. No, it wasn't."

"Then breaking things off with him isn't going to be as hard as I thought," Louisa said with a shake of her head, turned and looked at Will and Georgina.

Will looked at his little sister as she folded her arms under her breasts and he noticed the anger in her eyes.

"How was your flight?" he asked.

"It was alright," Georgina said.

"Did you flirt with the male stewards?" he asked with a grin.

"Will…"

"Ok, you are not in the mood for joking around."

"May I be honest with you?" she asked and he barely nodded. "I wasn't sure if I should have come or not. In fact, I cancelled my flight _ten_ times! Can you blame me!? You want me to stand there and watch strangers I don't know take your life!"

"You're not going to Switzerland then?"

"No," she said with a shake of her head. Will looked at her while his jaw muscles twitched and she wondered what he was thinking.

"Do you remember when you said the world doesn't revolve around me?"

"Yes."

"What you don't understand is a part of it does. Every day, someone has to examine me to make sure I am not getting worse. Every day, someone has to give me medication so I stay alive. Every day, someone has to get me out of bed. Every day, someone has to take me to the bathroom, brush my teeth, shave me and wash, dry then brush my hair. Every day, someone has to dress me. Every day, someone has to feed me and give me something to drink. Every night, someone has to undress me. Every night, someone has to put me to bed. Every early morning, someone has to examine me and give me medication. Finally, someone also has to give me a shower and help me take a shit. These same people also have to make sure I don't get bored or depressed and have to take me to one doctor's appointment or another."

"What does that have to do with me not going to watch you die?"

"I want the people who do those things, the people who care the most about me, there at the end."

"But it is wrong!"

"Why if I was dying? What if I had suffered a severe stroke, was in the hospital and these were my last few days? Would you have come?"

"Yes, of course, I would."

"Would you want Mother and Father there?"

"Yes."

"Would you want Clark…Louisa…there? Or Nathan?"

"Yes, but that's not what's going to happen. You are going to allow strangers to inject you with chemicals that will stop your heart. I won't and can't watch you do that!" she said and he blinked.

"Then I guess I won't do it," he said and she gave him a shocked look.

"Are you serious!?" she asked as she walked closer and carefully sat on his lap.

"Yes, I'm serious," he said and she hugged him. He placed his head against hers as she started sobbing and he made soft hushing sounds.

"Lou?" Katrina asked as Louisa blinked and lightly shook her head. She was wondering why Georgina was crying as she pressed her lips into a thin line and sighed.

"I'm still here," Louisa said.

"Are you sure things are alright?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Well, you better tell him not put you through shit like this again or he'll have to answer to me!" she said and Louisa softly laughed as she rolled her eyes and lightly shook her head. "Damn, I have to go."

"Ok. I'll call you after I talk to Patrick," Louisa said as she ended the call, stood up and placed the phone back in the pocket of her jeans. She walked to Will and Georgina as Georgina sat up and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Is everything alright?"

"Will isn't going to Switzerland," Georgina said as she sniffed.

"You're not!?" Louisa asked while looking at Will and he tried hard not to grin.

"Nope," he said as he popped the "p" and Georgina noticed the look they were giving each other.

"Hold on," Georgina said with a smile and Will laughed. "Ok, when did you really change your mind?"

"It was while we were on holiday," he said then his face went serious. "I am sorry for putting you through all this, Georgie."

"You are forgiven, but you know what comes next, don't you?" Georgina asked with a blank look and slid her fingers behind his ears as his eyes went wide.

"No! Georgie! Don't do it!"

"Do what?" Louisa asked.

"Whenever she got really pissed off at me, she'd tickle me until I pee!" he asked and Louisa snickered. "I am glad you find humor in this, Clark!"

"Do you promise to _never_ put any of us through this again?!" Georgina demanded, moving closer until they were nose to nose.

"Yes! I promise!" he said and she moved her hands away. Louisa started to laugh as Georgina hugged her idiot of a big brother and he grinned.

"Oh, Mummy wanted me to tell you she's planned a welcome home dinner for tonight and dress is formal attire."

"When is dinner?"

"Seven o'clock. Don't be late," she said while getting off his lap then walked away and he used his finger to move the joystick to turn the wheelchair so he could look at Louisa. He had noticed how upset she looked while she was on the phone and he moved the wheelchair closer.

"Are you alright?" he asked and she sighed.

"Not really," Louisa said.

"Sit on my lap," he said and she sat down as she slid her arm around his shoulders then leaned her head against his. "What's wrong?"

"I called my sister to tell her you weren't going to die."

"How did she take that bit of information?"

"She was shocked, but happy. I also told her about your thinking about going to work and me moving in with you."

"Didn't you tell her about your interview?"

"Not until I know if I get accepted. Even if I do, they can't afford it," she said, sighing.

"I might have an idea," he said then became silent and she sat up.

"You do?"

"Do you remember when Michael Lawler came to the annex?"

"Yes, he was the solicitor who was handling your will."

"He was also handling something else," he said and she became confused. "You see, when I was going to die, I wanted to give you something to thank you for helping me."

"You didn't have to."

"I know, but I wanted to," he said with a small sigh. "The first thing I was going to give you was a cheque. It was just enough to keep you financially secure for a few weeks while you looked for another job."

"I wouldn't have wanted it," she said and he saw the honesty in her eyes. "You know the reason I took this job was because I needed the money, but being with you… Taking care of you… Loving you… No one can put a price tag on that."

Will swallowed the lump in his throat while blinking the tears from his eyes and she used the pads of her thumbs to wipe them away.

"There was a letter which went along with the cheque. I wrote it just before we left on holiday."

"Do you remember any of it?"

He thought for a few seconds when he looked deeply into her eyes and she felt herself becoming lost in those blue/grey eyes.

"You were supposed to take the letter to Michael's London office and he was going to talk to you about the account I set up."

"You _what_!?" she asked with wide eyes and nearly fell off his lap.

"I set up an account for you. It's just enough for you to buy somewhere nice to live and pay for your degree courses and living expenses while you were in full-time education."

"Will….!"

"Like I said, I wanted to do this. It's not that I wanted you to be indebted to me or anything. I wanted to because nothing makes me feel happy anymore except you. I know what I have done to you and I hoped you would forgive me someday. There is more in the letter, but do you understand what I am saying?"

"Yes," she said and brushed some hair behind his right ear. "Would you be upset if I don't want the account either?"

"No," he said with barely a shake of his head. "But I would like to pay for your education."

"And I appreciate it, but some people might think…"

"I don't care what other people think, Clark!" he said, getting angry.

"I am going to pay you back," she said with a determined look.

"No, you're not," he said when she slowly moved her fingers toward the back of his ears and his eyes widened. "Ok, you can pay me back!"

She moved her finger along the edge of his lower lip when he noticed the worried look in her eyes and frowned.

"So, if your sister is alright with all this, why are you upset?" Will asked and she lowered her head. He wanted so badly to lift her chin up so she looked at him, but she lifted her head and he waited for her to tell him.

"It has to do with Patrick," she said and he arched his eyebrows up while waiting for her to continue. "I told her I was going to final break up with him and she told me she had seen him kissing another woman. I asked her what the woman looked like and it was one of his female running buddies."

She looked at Will as his mind absorbed what she said then he leaned his head against the back of the headrest and half closed his eyes.

"Well, it looks like I wasn't the only one who was cheated on," he finally said.

"Patrick never cheated on me."

"Had you officially ended things with him when I asked you to come live with me?" he asked, opening his eyes.

"No."

"Did he make you feel like you were cheating on him?"

"Well….," she said when something clicked in her head and she frowned. "Yes, he did make me feel that way."

"That means he was already cheating on you," he said and she arched her eyebrows up. "I have done the same thing back when I could… Before…"

"You told me you weren't very nice before the accident," she said with a small nod. "But Patrick…"

"Patrick is a man, Clark. Most men go from one woman to another and never care about the consequences of breaking up with them. The only difference between what they do and what I did is I finally found the right woman and only death will take me away from you," he said as she leaned against him then moved his arms so he was holding her and Will sweetly smiled at her.

Camilla watched while Will and Louisa came into the dining room and she noticed Will was wearing a black tuxedo, a white shirt, a black tie, black socks and black loafers and Louisa was dressed in a cream color sundress and matching shoes. Will parked the wheelchair next to the chair where Louisa was sitting and pushed the button to raise the seat.

"Good evening, William. Miss Clark," she said with a small nod.

"Good evening, Mother," Will said.

"Good evening," Louisa said.

"You look really nice, Georgie," Will said as he looked at Georgina and she smiled.

"Thank you," Georgina said.

Camilla used a small bell to signal they were ready for the first course and the maid pushed the small cart into the room. The maid placed the salad plate in front of Louisa when the maid looked at Will and he glanced at her. He had never seen her before as he arched an eyebrow and Camilla gave the maid a stern look. The maid nodded when she placed the plate down in front of him then pushed the cart out of the room and Camilla sighed.

"Please forgive Amanda for being rude. She's new," Camilla said as she picked up the fork and Will frowned.

"You didn't tell her about me?" Will asked.

"I did, and she said she didn't mind working for someone in a wheelchair…,," she said when he flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair backed up.

"Where are you going?" Louisa asked as she got up and he glanced at her.

"Sit down. I'll be right back," he said as they watched the wheelchair head for the door to the kitchen and the butler opened the door for him. Will moved the wheelchair toward the maid while he looked at her and stopped the wheelchair. Amanda Jefferson was tall with long black hair and grey eyes, but what he noticed was her nose was slightly crooked. She was loading the soup dishes onto the cart when she saw him and her noticed the fear in her eyes. "Hello."

"You… You can talk?!" she gasped and moved back a bit.

"Would you rather I do this?" he asked with a grin then did his Christie Brown impression. Louisa and Camilla had run into the kitchen as they looked from Will to Amanda and Amanda placed her hands in front of her.

"I am so sorry, Sir," Amanda said and walked closer. She knelt down on her haunches next to the wheelchair as he looked at her and barely nodded for her to continue. "You see, the home where I worked before coming here had a family member who was in a wheelchair. He used to pitch fits because he couldn't speak. Well, he could, but it sounded like your impression. I tried to make friends with him, but he would only shout at me."

"Why did you leave?" Louisa asked and Amanda stood up.

"A few months ago," she said then paused. "A few months ago, he was having a fit and… He… He broke my nose."

"Oh my," Camilla gasped and Amanda shyly looked at Camilla.

"Am I fired?"

"No, Dear," Camilla said with a shake of her head then looked at Will and Louisa. "Come along."

They followed her back into the dining room when Will parked the wheelchair near the table and Louisa sat down. Louisa started feeding Will as he looked at his father, but Steven Traynor barely looked at them.

"How was your holiday?" Georgina finally asked and Louisa placed fork down.

"It was amazing," Louisa said while helping Will take a drink of water then placed the glass down.

"Tell them about when you went scuba diving," Will said and Louisa told how he talked her into trying scuba diving and how much fun it was being underwater.

"You need to come and try scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef," Georgina said then ate some more salad.

"I remember doing that," Will said.

"Tell them what you did at the airport," Louisa said and he glared at her.

"What did he do?!"

"Clark…," Will said, giving her a warning look.

"We had just gotten our luggage when he told me to sit on his lap. The next thing I knew, the wheelchair took off and we sailing down the hallway. We were having fun until security showed up and I was sure we were in trouble," Louisa said and Georgina lightly snorted a laugh.

"I can just picture the look on people's faces as the two of you went zipping by."

"Most of them were cheering us on."

"What happened when security showed up?"

"They let us go when she asked them what if I was dying and doing that was one of the last things I wanted to do," Will said and the air in the room became serious.

"Well, I am glad things worked out in your favor. I don't think Mummy would have been too happy if she had to come and bail the two of you out of jail."

"No, I would not have enjoyed doing that," Camilla said and Georgina, Will and Louisa became silent. Camilla looked at them when she took a sip of wine and her smile was hidden behind the glass.

Dessert was served when Camilla looked at Will as he opened his mouth so Louisa could feed him some cherry cobbler and Camila cleared her throat to attract his attention.

"William, isn't there something you need to tell us?" Camilla asked and Louisa placed the fork down and wiped his lips.

"Oh, I already know," Georgina said, smiling as she took a drink of white wine.

"Yes, I told Georgie earlier," Will said then looked over at his father.

"If this has to do with your trip to Switzerland, I would rather not discuss it," Steven said, sitting back in the chair.

"Yes, it does have something to do with my trip to Switzerland," Will said and Steven made a deep sigh. "I decided not to go."

"I see," Steven said when he got up and left the room. They looked at each other when Camilla got up to follow him and Georgina shrugged. Louisa saw the hurt in Will's eyes as he leaned his head back against the headrest and she placed her hand on top of his.

"Are you angry with me?" Louisa asked while moving the bedding up and placed the side of her head in her hand.

"Am I angry with you for telling my family about what happened at the airport?" Will asked, looked at the ceiling for a few seconds then smiled. "No, I'm not angry."

"Then what's bothering you?" she asked, brushing some hair behind his right ear.

"I was… I was just thinking about the last time I went scuba diving."

"Was it when you went to the Great Barrier Reef?"

"Yes."

"Tell me about it," she said and he looked at her for a few minutes. He knew what she was doing as he half closed his eyes and told her about the last time he went scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef.

Rupert looked at the report he was working as he leaned his head in his hand then yawned. He had brought home some work, but he wasn't really interested and he placed the report down. He sat back in the chair when he looked at the framed photograph of him and Will from the last time they had gone cliff diving and both of them were smiling with their arms around each other's shoulders.

To admit he still felt guilt after all this time was an understatement.

He knew he was partly to blame for his best friend's life being over and the Will in the photo was gone.

He still had nightmares about what had happened that day.

He wasn't there, but he could still hear the sound of an engine coming closer, shouting, Will's scream then a loud crunching sound.

The worst part was the silence.

He had called out Will's name so loud that his secretary had come running into his office to find out what was wrong.

He could barely stand going to the hospital to visit Will.

The worst part was seeing the lose of his old life in Will's eyes.

He had gone into therapy, but it wasn't helping and he felt a small pain in his chest.

Turning off the light, Rupert left the room as he went upstairs and walked down the hallway. He stopped at the doorway when he opened the door and looked into semi-dark room. He didn't move for a few seconds then closed the door, turned and headed down the hallway.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Michael Lawler was surprised when he received a phone call from Will as he stood in front of the sliding doors then knocked. Louisa opened the door as she smiled at him and he nodded while she stood back to allow him to come in the room.

"Hello, Miss Clark," Michael said.

"Hello. Will is waiting for you in the den," she said and he nodded, heading for the den. He knocked on the door when he heard Will tell him to come in and he opened the door. He walked in the den as he saw Will sitting at the desk and Will smiled at him after turning the wheelchair around to face him.

"Hello, Michael," Will said.

"Hello," Michael said and went to sit on the couch. He placed the briefcase on the coffee table while Will steered the wheelchair closer and Michael sat back against the couch cushion. "No offense, but aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"Yes, but I changed my mind."

"Thank God," Michael sighed and Will frowned.

"Are you saying that you're glad that I'm still alive?"

"Of course, I'm glad! You're one of my best friends! Just promise me you will never do something like that again."

"I promise," Will said with a grin.

"So, why did you want to see me?" Michael asked, sitting forward and placed his forearms on his thighs.

"I told Louisa, Miss Clark, about the cheque I was going to give her, but she doesn't want it."

"She doesn't?"

"No."

"What do you want me to do with it?"

"I don't care. Tear it up if you want."

"How about donating the money to a foundation which deals with finding a way to prevent or reverse the damage done by spinal cord injuries? I know a few which might benefit from it."

"Sounds like a great idea," he said and Michael nodded.

"What about the bank account you set up for her? Does she know about that?"

"Yes."

"Am I right in thinking she does not want that either?"

"No, she doesn't, but I want to keep it open just in case…," Will said then went silent and Michael nodded.

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes, what do you know about living wills?"

"So, what did he say?" Louisa asked after Michael had left and Will glanced at her then looked back at the movie he was watching.

"Turn off the movie and the television," he said as the movie stopped then the television turned off and he turned the wheelchair to look at her. "I told him about you not wanting the cheque I was going to give you and he suggested I donate the money to a foundation which deals with finding a way to prevent or reverse the damage done by spinal cord injuries."

"That sounds like a great idea."

"We then talked about the bank account."

"You told him I didn't want it, right?"

"I did, but I want to keep it open just in case…," he said and she placed her hand on top of his.

"What else did you talk about?"

"Do you know what a living will is?"

"Yes. Granddad has one."

"I had him write out one for me."

"I see," she said with a sigh and Will gave her a sad look.

"Sit on my lap," he said and she carefully sat on his lap then slid her arm around his shoulders.

"I'm not upset that you had one made. I'm just worried you're thinking about dying again."

"No, I'm not thinking about that," he said with barely a shake of his head. "In fact, before Michael came, I was talking with my old employer, Martin. He said he'll see if I could be allowed to come back, even if it's just a few hours a week at first and see if some of my old clients want me to handle their accounts."

"That's wonderful," she said and kissed his cheek.

"When is your interview?"

"It's on Monday."

"You are going, right?"

"Yes."

"You are going to let me pay for your education?"

"Yes."

"You're not going to pay me back," he said and she knew it wasn't a question.

"Yes, I am going to pay you back," she said, lightly poking his chest.

"Have you gone to talk with Patrick?"

"No, I'm afraid to."

"How about I go with you? If he tries anything, I will run his foot over with my wheelchair."

"And I'll be coming to see you in jail after you're arrested for assault," she teased and he wiggled his eyebrows up and down as he grinned.

Patrick saw Louisa and Will coming down the pavement before they saw him. He knew he had been avoiding her since she moved in with Will, but his seeing them together made the anger he thought was gone rage uncontrollably in his chest.

"Hey," Louisa said while they stopped and Will noticed the anger in Patrick's eyes.

"Hey," Patrick said then looked at Will.

"Hello," Will said.

"What do you want?" Patrick asked as he looked at Louisa and she heard the anger in his voice.

"We didn't come to have a fight," Louisa said.

"Look, I have somewhere to go," he said as he walked by them and Will flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around.

"Going to see your girlfriend?" Will asked and Patrick turned to look at him.

"What business is it of yours?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Will said, flicking the joystick to move the wheelchair closer then stooped. "I don't think it's right for you to flaunt having a new woman in your life when your ex hasn't formally ended things with you."

"She ended things the day she moved in with you!"

"I asked her to move in because I wanted her to spend my last few days with me."

"You're dying?!" he asked with a shocked look.

"Well, not soon, but someday."

"Didn't it matter that she was with me when you asked her to move in?!"

"Yes, it did matter, but it seemed to me like things weren't serious."

"It was serious!"

"Did you ever put her before you?"

"What!?"

"Did you ever put her needs before yours?"

"What needs?!"

"She wanted to go to university?"

"Yeah, but she decided against it."

"Why didn't you tell her she should give it a chance?"

"I don't know. I guess it was her choice to go or not."

"What about when she lost her job? Did you tell her to keep looking even when she was told you all she was good for was plucking chickens or working in fast food?"

"No, I didn't."

"What about that birthday gift you gave her?" Will asked and Patrick glared at him.

"It was a lot better than those bloody tights!" Patrick said and Louisa felt like she had been punched in the stomach.

"Do you know the story about why they're so important to her?"

"No."

"Then I am right and all you care about it Patrick."

"Watch it!"

"Look…," Will said with a small sigh and Louisa walking closer, placing her hand on his left shoulder. "Before my accident, all I cared about was _Will_ and what _Will_ wanted. My career…my life…was everything and nothing…no one…else matter. I lived by my own rules and, like I told Clark…Louisa..., I was not a nice person. Well, I was nice to my friends, family and some of my clients, but that was it. In the end, I lost everything."

"What does that have to do with me and Lou?"

"Don't you get it!? There was no you and Lou. There hadn't been for a long time."

"Because… Because I drove her away. All I cared about was training, marathons, diets and, yeah, my job.," Patrick said in a soft voice as Louisa walked closer then took hold of his hands and he sighed. "Lou…"

"You are such a knob head," she said and Patrick hugged her.

"Forgive me?"

"Yeah."

"Right," Patrick said as he let go of Louisa and gave Will a serious look. "I admit I wasn't the best boyfriend in the world. I treated her like shit. But you better keep her happy, Mate. If she isn't…"

"You'll punch my face in," Will said with a grin and Patrick laughed.

"Bye, Lou," Patrick said, giving her another hug.

"Bye," she said. They watched him walk away as she placed her hand on the back of Will's head and light carded his hair.

"Well, that went better than I thought."

"Yeah, you didn't have to run over his foot."

"Damn, I was looking forward to that," he said as she laughed, leaned down and lightly kissed his lips.

The small lift lowered the wheelchair to the ground as Will flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair headed for the pavement. Louisa watched the lift go back up when she closed then locked the doors and Will looked at the ramp leading up to the front door.

"Hello," Josie Clark said as she came out of the house and watched them coming down the front walk. Louisa hadn't told her about Will going to Switzerland, but Josie knew there was something wrong and Will noticed the slight anger in her eyes.

"Hey, Mum," Louisa said as she came up the ramp and hugged her.

"Hello, Mrs. Clark," Will said.

"Go inside," Josie said as she looked at Louisa and Louisa looked from her to Will then went inside. Will sat at the end of the ramp as he looked at Josie and she walked down the ramp, standing in front of him. "Go on. Explain to me why you keep upsetting my daughter."

Will was a little surprised she had noticed things were not perfect between him and Louisa as he thought for a few minutes then leaned his head back against the headrest.

"To start with, I was in a very dark place when she came to work for me," Will said.

"That is understandable. I can only imagine what it's like to be stuck in that chair."

"It's a nightmare sometimes."

"And I guess you weren't happy with the idea of having someone taking care of you day after day."

"No, I wasn't happy. But, as it turned out, having your daughter in my life gave me a reason to be happy again," he said and she saw the honesty in his eyes. "Another problem is my health. I suffer from attacks of acid reflux, autonomic dysreflexia…"

"What is that?" she asked and he told her what autonomic dysreflexia was. "Oh, that sounds frightening."

"It is. The first time she witnessed me having an attack, I thought she would quit. Instead, she helped me through it."

"That's my Lou," she said with a laugh and he smiled.

"I also get pneumonia very easily. In fact, I had a case of it recently. Imagine my surprise when I woke up and saw her there by my bedside."

"Is there anything else?" she asked and he saw the seriousness in her eyes.

"I tried to kill myself."

"How?"

"I used my wheelchair to drive my left wrist into an exposed nail. If it wasn't for my father finding me in time, I would have bled to death."

"Was that the only time?"

"No," he said and she waited for him to continue. "Do you know what Dignitas is?"

"Yes, I've heard of it."

"Do you approve of what they do?"

"No, I do not."

"Would you think any less of someone who would wanted to go there to end what they believe is a living nightmare? To stop the pain and the feeling of being exhausted all the time? To stop waking up and wanting it to be over?" he asked and she saw what he wasn't saying in his eyes.

"You were going to go there?"

"Yes," he said and waited for her to start yelling at him. Instead, she knelt down on her haunches and placed her hand on his knee.

"Do you want me to be honest with you?"

"Yes."

"You are a very foolish young man," she said. "And, no, I don't think any less of you, but I do understand what someone in your position might be going through. My father was a vibrant and active man. He used to love taking long walks and talking with the neighbors. He would go to pub to watch football matches and come home horse from cheering. When he had his stroke, he changed. He can't do much on his own and he can't talk very well. I have to give him medications to prevent another stroke and help him get from his room to the kitchen, the loo or the front room. I know he hates it. I know he wants to be with my mum. The thing is, I also know he is very stubborn and hasn't stopped living his life despite the stroke."

"I am very stubborn as well. It takes a lot to get me to change my mind once I set it on something. I was so sure my life…my old life…was over. It is. I can't do what I used to and I hate it."

"But you did change your mind."

"Yes, I did," he said as she smiled, stood up and turned to look at the house. "Am I allowed to go in now?"

"Yes, but you try something like Dignitas again, if you even_ think_ about, I will place you over my knees and spank your bottom!"

Will looked at her with a slightly shocked look then smiled and she silently admitted she loved his dimples. She walked closer then gently hugged him and he leaned his head against hers.

"Is everything alright out here?" Louisa asked, walking down the ramp and Josie moved to stand next to Will and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"He told me everything. His attempt at suicide and wanting to go to Dignitas and how you are the only thing which makes him happy," Josie said and Louisa's eyes went wide.

"And she told me if I try it again, or even _think_ about it, she'll put me over her knees and spank my bottom," Will said,

"Mum!" Louisa gasped, giving her a shocked look.

"Let's go inside. The neighbors are watching," Josie said as they headed for the ramp and went inside after she opened the door. Will flicked the joystick with his finger while the wheelchair went down the small hallway when Katrina came downstairs and held Thomas in her arms.

"Hello, you must be Louisa's sister," Will said.

"Yes, I am," Katrina said as she walked closer then looked at Thomas. "My name is Katrina and this is my son, Tommy."

"Hello, Tommy," he said as Thomas turned his face away and Katrina saw the hurt in Will's eyes.

"Hey. Come on. Don't be shy, Tommo," Louisa said.

"It's alright," Will said when Thomas turned to look down at the wheelchair and frowned.

"What?" he asked, looking at Katrina.

"That's Will's wheelchair," Louisa said and Thomas blinked. Will thought for a few seconds as a smile spread across his face and flicked the joystick with his finger. There was enough room for him to turn the wheelchair around in circles as Thomas watched then started clapping.

"Me!" Thomas said as he lifted his arms over his head and Katrina looked at Will. He barely nodded as she placed Thomas on his lap and Thomas looked at the control panel. Will told him what to do as the wheelchair moved around in a circle and Thomas laughed. "Again!"

"No, that's enough. We don't want Will to get dizzy," Josie said and Thomas pouted, leaning carefully against Will's chest. "Now, everyone into the dining room. Dinner's ready."

After Katrina removed Thomas from his lap, Louisa walked behind the wheelchair as they went into the dining room and Will parked the wheelchair next to Louisa's chair. Granddad looked at Will when he gave Will a little nod and Will saw in his eyes that he was glad to see him again. Josie served the food as Will looked at them and Louisa noticed he was becoming self-conscious. He didn't mind having her parents and grandfather seeing him being fed, but he wasn't sure how Treena would handle it or if Thomas would giggle.

"Come on, Tommo. Eat," Treena said as Thomas pushed the plate away and shook his head.

"No! Yucky!" Thomas said as he pointed to the vegetables on the plate.

"He sounds like you," Louisa teased and Will glared at her then looked at Thomas.

"Tommy," he said and Thomas looked at him. "You and I have something in common. We both don't like vegetables."

He moved the wheelchair to face Louisa as she placed some pieces of carrots on the fork when she moved the fork toward Will's mouth and he pressed his lips into thin line.

"Open up," she said while lightly poking the pieces of carrots on the fork against his lips, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Will you eat them if he does?" Treena asked and Josie, Grandad and Bernard tried hard not to laugh.

"Maybe," Will said and Thomas looked at the plate. He picked up a piece of carrot when he placed the piece of carrot in his mouth and chewed then swallowed. He watched Will open his mouth so Louisa could feed him some carrots and Will chewed then swallowed.

"Yay!" Thomas said as he placed another piece of carrot in his mouth and soon both of them had finished their vegetables.

"That was very clever," Louisa whispered as Will gave her a wink and she started feeding him some roast chicken.

"Me!" Thomas said, pointing to Will.

"You want to help me feed Will?" Louisa asked and Thomas nodded.

"Well, if you eat all your dinner, you can help her feed me dessert. Deal?" Will asked.

"Deal!" Thomas said then started eating and Louisa leaned closer, lightly kissing Will's cheek.

"Lou," Bernard said while she stopped helping Katrina and Josie with the dishes and he waved for her to come with him. She wiped her hands with the tea towel as she followed her dad down the hallway and he pointed to the front room. She walked inside to see Granddad and Will watching a game show on the television and Thomas was curled up on Will's lap. Thomas was sound asleep with his head against Will's chest and Bernard had moved Will's right arm so he was holding Thomas. She slowly walked to the wheelchair as Will glanced at her then looked at the television and she knelt down on her haunches.

"Looks like you've made a friend," she whispered, lightly carding the top of Thomas' head.

"Is he asleep?" Will asked.

"Yes. Do you want me to take him?"

"No. We're fine."

"Well, don't get too comfortable. We're leaving after the dishes are done."

"Alright," he said, but she saw in his eyes he didn't want to go home. Standing up, she ruffled the top of his head then left the room and leaned against the wall.

"Is there something wrong, Love?" Bernard asked.

"I have a feeling I'm going to have trouble getting Will to leave," Louisa said as she nodded her head toward the other room and Bernard smiled.

"Feels at home, does he?"

"Yeah, and there is a part of me which wishes we didn't have to go back to the annex."

"Is it that bad?"

"No, but he doesn't like being shut away like some sort of family secret."

"Well, if we had the room…"

"Yeah," she said as Bernard gave her a sideways hug then walked down the hallway, going in the next room. She looked down for a few seconds then lightly kicked off the wall and went back in the kitchen.

The dining room was quiet except for the sound of forks and knives scraping against the plates and Rupert looked at his wife sitting at the other end of the long dark wood table. Sighing, he put the knife and fork down then placed his lower arms on top of the table and shook his head.

"Take your arms off the table," Alicia said, glaring at him. Nodding, he moved his arms back when the door opened and a tall man with grey hair and green eyes came in the room, walking to Rupert.

"I am sorry to interrupt your meal, Sir," Gregory Henson said while placing his hands behind his back and glanced to his right. "Miss Sharpe wishes to see you."

"What is _she_ doing here?!" Alicia demanded as she slammed the fork and knife down on the table and Henson looked at her.

"She didn't say, Madam," he said and Rupert stood up. He noticed the angry look on Alicia's face as he left the room and headed down the long hallway.

Devon Sharpe stood in front of the front doors as she looked down her nose at him and he swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn't know what was more intimidating. The way her black hair was pulled back in a tight bun, those cold brown eyes behind the wire rimmed glasses she wore or how she looked in a dark blue business suit.

"Good evening," Devon said as she walked closer and her high heels clicked on the marble flooring.

"Good evening," Rupert said with a small nod.

"I hope I am not interrupting anything," she said and arched her eyebrows up slightly.

"We are having dinner."

"I see," she said with a tone which sent shivers up and down his spine. He knew from experience not to cross her and he fought hard to keep his hands from shaking.

"Why are you here? Your scheduled visit isn't until Thursday."

"Think of this as a surprise visit," she said then gave him a cold smile. He hated when she made an unscheduled visit and felt a cold sweat moving down his neck.

"This way," he said as he turned and she followed him down the hallway.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Will kept his eyes closed while Louisa gently moved the razor over his cheek and he was enjoying the feel of her fingers moving over his skin.

"All done," she said as she placed the razor in the bowl of water and wiped his face off with a small towel. He slowly opened his eyes as he glanced at her and she saw the love and trust and love in his eyes.

"Thank you," he said and she slid onto his lap. He glanced at the digital clock when he noticed the time, frowned and arched his eyebrows down. "Aren't you going to be late for your interview?"

"Damn," she said when she checked the digital clock then carefully got off his lap and he flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," he said while watching her leave and mentally crossed his fingers.

Louisa hated interviews, but felt confident in the dark blue suit jacket, white blouse, dark blue skirt, nude hose and black shoes Camilla helped her pick out and held the handle of the dark leather portfolio Will had bought her tightly in her hands. She stood at the stairs to the administration office building as she looked up at the clock and smiled, seeing she was on time. She quickly went up the stairs then nodded at the student who held the door open for her and headed down the hallway. She knew which room she had to go to for the interview when she placed her hand on the door handle, opened the door and went in the room, closing the door behind her.

"Will, you are a lifesaver!" Jeff said while Will looked at the information on the screen. He thought about the long conversation he had with Jeff after the accident and how Jeff blamed himself for it. He assured him that he didn't blame him and was surprised when Jeff had called him.

"I'm just glad I could help," Will said.

"Help?! You just saved my fucking career!" Jeff said and Will laughed.

"Wish I could be there to help close the deal."

"Yeah, I do, too."

"Maybe next time."

"Are you serious?!"

"Yeah, if my doctors say it's ok for me to travel," Will said and was surprised he even mentioned it,

"I might hold you to that," Jeff said with a laugh then sighed. "Damn, I have to go."

"Bye," Will said and Jeff ended the call. "End call."

He flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around when he heard the sliding doors open and went into the main room. He looked at Louisa as she quickly walked to her bedroom then closed the door and he felt a tightness in his throat.

"Clark!?" he called out, but the door stayed closed and he moved the wheelchair to the door. Flicking the joystick with his finger, he lightly thumped the wheelchair against the door a few times then sighed and backed the wheelchair up.

"I see Lou's back," Nathan said after coming out of the kitchen then looked at the closed door and Will turned the wheelchair around to face him.

"Yes," Will said and Nathan saw the sadness in his eyes.

"Hey, maybe it's not bad news."

"If it was good news, she would have…."

"I had to go to the bathroom," Louisa said as she came out of the room and had changed into jeans, trainers and a pink t-shirt.

"Well, how did it go?" Nathan asked as she walked to Will, sat on his lap and leaned her head against his.

"I talked with the administration board. They were very understanding about me having to stay at home most of the time to take care of Will then I showed them my drawings."

"Did they like them?" Will asked.

"They seemed to like them. I wish I had brought the ones you said were a little over the top."

"Does this mean you got in?"

"Yes!" she said and lightly hugged his shoulders. The sense of pride Will felt made him want to wrapped his arms around her, picker her off the floor and spin her around, but he settled for a big grin and a happy sigh.

"This calls for a party!" Nathan said as she got up and hugged him.

"Pizza!" Will shouted.

"I wouldn't mind a pizza party," Louisa said and Will flicked the joystick with his finger to make the wheelchair move around in circles as he went "Wooooooo-oooooooop!".

"Alright, Mate, calm down or you're going to end up making yourself sick," Nathan said and Will glared at him.

"Spoilsport," he said as he stuck his tongue out at him and Louisa laughed. "So, when do you start classes?"

"Classes start the third week of September," Louisa said.

"Perfect," Will said as she looked at him and wondered what he was thinking.

"Mind telling me why that's perfect?"

"Nope. You're just going to have to wait!" he said as he barely shook his head and spun the wheelchair around in circles again. Smiling, she rolled her eyes and Nathan went into the kitchen to get the takeout menu.

_12_ _September Café Marquis - Rue Des Fracs Bourgeois_

Louisa walked along the pavement while she looked at the people going by and felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She was surprised when Will suggested she go on a day trip to Paris to do some shopping for school and she admitted she was loving just taking her time and looking around the city. She also silently promised to find a way to get Will to come with her the next time she came to Paris and walked a little faster.

It took her a few minutes to find the café he told her about when she walked to the table, sat down on one of the green metallic chairs then placed the shopping bags on the ground near her feet. She looked up to see the waiter coming closer and she felt nervous about ordering.

"Uh, do you speak English?" she asked and he smiled.

"Yes, I do," he said.

"I would like some croissants and a large Café Crème, please," she said while he wrote on the pad in his hand, nodded and walked away. She reached into her purse when she removed the letter Will told her he was going to send to Michael Lawler and she opened the letter. She read the letter as she smiled and nodded as the waiter placed the croissants on a white plate and a mug of coffee on the table.

She looked to her left when she saw the shop he mentioned in the letter then nibbled on the corner of the croissant and sipped on the coffee before going back to reading the letter. She got to the part about the cheque and the account as she blinked the tears from her eyes and used the napkin to wipe the tears away.

She read the rest of the letter as the tears flowed and she used the napkin to wipe her eyes and nose. She couldn't believe how it was possible to find such a sweet and loving man as she sniffed and sipped on the coffee. After she paid the bill and left the waiter a nice tip, Louisa got up, picked up the shopping bags and headed for L'Artison Parfumeur.

Louisa walked to the sliding doors when she saw a piece of paper taped to the sliding door on the left and frowned. She removed the piece of paper when she unfolded the piece of paper and saw:

_ Clark,  
Please go to your room, take a shower, put on one of the new outfits you bought, if you did buy anything, and meet me in the dining room in the main house._

_All will be explained.  
Oh, don't forget to wear the perfume I mentioned in the letter if you found it._

_Will_

"What are you up to?" she asked then picked up the shopping bags, went inside and closed the sliding door behind her.

Will sat at the window as he watched the sun setting and lightly rubbed his right index finger and thumb together. He knew his heart was pounding in his chest as he thought about what he was about to do and lightly smiled while he half closed his eyes.

"William?" made Will flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair turned around and he saw his father standing behind him. He watched his father walking closer when Steven sat on the couch and Will moved the wheelchair then parked the wheelchair next to the couch.

"Are you alright, Father?" Will asked.

"Yes, but I do have something to tell you," Steven said.

"I have something to tell all of you as well."

"I figured as much from the gathering in the dining room."

"Father, does what you want to tell me have anything to do with asking Mother for a divorce?" he asked and Steven's eyes widened a bit.

"Yes, that is exactly what I was going to tell you."

"Well, I am disappointed things have come to this point, but I believe it's best for not only you, me and Georgie, but for Mother."

"I agree," Steven said as he sighed and folded his hands on his lap. "I just hope neither you or your sister feel any doubts in continuing your relationships because your mother and I…"

"I'm getting married."

"Pardon?"

"That is what tonight is about. I am going to ask Louisa Clark to marry me."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Aren't you here to tell me good-bye?"

"No," Steven said and Will rolled his eyes as he softly laughed. "But I do appreciate you wanting to tell me first."

"Care to explain why it's come to this? I thought you and Mother loved each other."

"We did love each other…once. There was a time when everything revolved around her and I. We were always holding hands, hugging, kissing and just enjoyed each other's company. That love expanded after we had you and your sister. I thought everything was perfect. Then our careers began to take over. We were always busy and didn't have time for each other or you two."

"But Georgie and I knew you both loved us. We also learned we had to work hard to get what we wanted in life and grab hold of what we had with both hands."

"But at what cost? Georgina hasn't shown any interest in settling down and you…"

"It took a motorbike crashing into me to finally get me to see what truly matters."

"That's what I mean. What you and Miss Clark have is something I thought your mother and I had. I thought I had found my soulmate."

"Then why toss it all away?"

"I truly don't know," Steven said as he sighed and lowered his head. They became silent for a few minutes when Steven looked up and Will gave him a blank look.

"Are you sure these is no chance for a reconciliation?"

"It's too late."

"Are you sure?" came from the doorway as they glanced over at Camilla and she walked in the room. Will noticed the look in her eyes as he flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair left the room. He turned the wheelchair enough to see his parents standing in front of each other when Camilla took Steven's hands and Steven sadly smiled at her.

Louisa walked into the main room as she turned and walked toward the dining room. She had spent some meals with Will, Nathan and Camilla in there, but she was shocked when she saw not only them, but Steven, Georgina and her own family sitting around the dining table. She had chosen the red dress she wore to Will's friend's concert and could see the look in Will's eyes as he smiled at her.

"Whoa, Lou, you look amazing in that dress!" Treena said as Louisa smiled then walked to the chair next to Will.

"Thank you," Louisa said as she sat down then looked at Will. "Mind telling me what this is all about?"

"It has to do with us," Will said when he looked at those gathered and wanted so badly for his hands to start shaking.

"It has to do with the both of you?" Josie asked.

"Yes."

"Well, don't keep us in suspense, Lad. What's going on?" Bernard asked.

"Most of you know I love Louisa, and she loves me, so I decided it was time for us to take the next step."

"We know she's moved in with you," Treena said.

"I didn't know that," Georgina said as her eyes widened and gave her brother an impish grin while sipping on some wine.

"Yes, we have moved in together," Will said as he glanced at Louisa and she noticed the serious look in his eyes. "But, and I know this sounds like I'm rushing things, I would like your blessing to move onto the next step."

"Oh," Josie said when she realized what he was talking about and Bernard placed his hand on top of hers.

"Of course, you have our blessing," Bernard said.

"Mother? Father? Do I have your blessing as well?" he asked as he looked at them and Camilla smiled.

"Yes," Camilla said.

"Yes," Steven said.

"What about you two?" he asked as he looked at Georgina and Treena. "Can you see yourselves becoming family?"

"Family!?" Georgina asked then her mouth fell open. "Yes! Oh yes!"

"Count me in!" Treena said when Louisa felt her breath catch in her chest from the realization of what he was doing and she placed her trembling fingers against her lips.

"Mommy?" Thomas asked with a confused look.

"Hold on. You'll see in a second."

"Nathan, can you help me?" Will asked and Nathan got up then walked to him. "The box is in my right jacket pocket."

Nathan reached into Will's pocket when he removed the small blue velvet box and Louisa felt a little dizzy. She had wondered if or when Will would ask her to marry him, but she also knew he would be reluctant due to his condition. Nathan helped him open the small box as she looked at the small diamond surrounded by diamond chips set in a gold band then looked at Will.

"Louisa Clark, will you honor me by becoming my wife?" Will asked and tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

"Say yes, Lou!" Treena said and Louisa laughed.

"Please say yes!" Georgina said.

"Well? I'm waiting," Will said and she held out her left hand. Nathan helped him slide the ring onto her left ring finger when she got up to sit on Will's lap. She leaned closer so she could look deeply into his eyes and his eyebrows arched down. "Is this a yes or a no?"

"This is a yes," she said.

"Mommy?" Thomas asked again and Treena smiled.

"Will asked Auntie Lou to be his wife. She said yes and that means he's going to be your uncle," Treena said while Louisa got off of Will's lap and sat back down on her chair.

"Oh," Thomas said, elongating the "o". Will moved the joystick and the wheelchair went around to the other side of the table, stopping at the highchair his mother had brought down from the attic. Treena stood up when she removed Thomas from the highchair and sat him on Will's lap. Thomas carefully knelt on Will's thighs as he placed his arms around Will's neck and hugged him. Will placed his head against Thomas' head as he smiled and Treena gave him a wink. Thomas sat on Will's lap as he leaned back against Will's chest and Treena carefully moved Will's arms so he could hold him.

"Do you have any idea when you want to get married?" Josie asked.

"Is tomorrow too soon?" Will asked with wide eyes and they laughed.

"Silly," Thomas said with a giggle as he looked at him and Will stuck his tongue out while crossing his eyes. Treena placed Thomas back in the highchair while Will flicked the joystick with his finger and steered the wheelchair around to the other side of the table. He had seen Granddad nod to him as Will smiled then parked the wheelchair near Louisa's chair. She took his hand as she carefully moved his hand up and lightly kissed his knuckles. Will blinked the tears away as she wrapped their fingers together and he gently moved his thumb over her index finger.

"How's he doing?" Louisa asked while walking in the room and Nathan finished writing the information down in Will's medical file.

"Well, his blood pressure is a little high, but that's from asking you to marry him," Nathan said with a smile when he placed the medical equipment in the drawer, picked up the medical file and walked to the door. He gave her a sideways hug as he left the room and Louisa looked at Will. Will looked at the Minnie Mouse t-shirt and pink pajamas bottoms with white polka dots she was wearing and she had her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She walked to the bed when she sat down on the edge of the bed and took Will's hand, wrapping their fingers together.

"Did you like my surprise?" Will asked.

"Yes, I did," she said with a nod.

"You smell wonderful. I see you were able to find the perfume I mentioned in the letter?"

"The saleswoman told me it is a very popular brand."

"What about Paris? Did you enjoy it?"

"I did, but it would have been more fun if you had come with me."

"And what was I supposed to do? Carry all your shopping on my lap while you went from one shop to the other?"

"Yes!" she said with a smile and he laughed.

"Thanks a lot!" he said with a sigh and rolled his eyes. She enjoyed teasing him when she thought of something and lightly moved her thumb against his index finger.

"Maybe we can go there for our honeymoon."

"Why?"

"I know you have memories of your time there before the accident, but I want to make new memories. Like us kissing at the top of the Eiffel Tower, maybe strolling by the Seine or me feeding you breakfast in bed," she said while letting go of his hand and sat closer, brushing the hair from his forehead. He had a dreamy look on his face when he made a little sigh and slowly blinked his eyes.

"That does sound nice," he said, glancing up at her. "What else could we do?"

"We could go to the museums and make fun of the paintings."

"What!?" he asked with a confused look.

"Don't tell me you have never done that!"

"No, I haven't."

"My sister and I used to do that all the time. Though, we did get tossed out of the gallery" she said and he laughed. "Anyway, not to put a damper on things, but is your father alright? He was so quiet during dinner."

"He's fine, but my parents are getting divorced."

"Oh no!"

"It wasn't like we didn't see it coming."

"I know, but it's still a shame."

"Yes," he said with a small nod.

"Uh, this is going to sound odd, but are we still going to be able to live here?"

"Yes. You see, my father's family owns things like Stortfold Castle, but this house belongs to my mother's family."

"Ah."

"Even if he did own the house, I don't think he'd be cruel enough to want his disabled son to live on the streets," he said with a grin then moaned.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. I was just yawning."

"Then I'll go so you can get some sleep."

"No. I want you to stay," he said with a sad puppy look and she got up, walked around to the other side of the bed and slid under the covers. She snuggled next to him while she placed her head against his shoulder and placed her hand on his chest. She felt the softness of his chest hair after she slid her fingers under the opening of his pajamas top as she lightly moved her fingers through them and watched as Will slowly closed his eyes. She listened to his breathing evening out while watching him sleep and saw how content he looked.

"Lights off," she said as the lights went out and she closed her eyes, moved her hand out from under his pajamas top and drifted off to sleep with the palm of her hand resting against the center of his chest.

Rupert was slightly startled when the den door slammed opened and Alicia stormed in the room. She headed for the desk while he sent the email he had spent the last few hours writing and she slammed the palms of her hands on the desk.

"Well?!" she demanded and he sighed, leaning back in the chair.

"I called, but there is nothing I can do. Miss Sharpe…," he said then went silent as she glared at him.

"I don't give a bloody fuck about Devon Sharpe! I want…."

"Alicia, look, we've been through this before…."

"And whose fault was that?!"

"If you want me to be honest, it's _yours_," he said and she gave him a look like he slapped her. He watched her stand straighter, turn and leave the room when he looked at the framed photograph of him and Will and sighed then wiped his face with his hands.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: In this chapter we find out the secret. I decided to change the sex and age of Will's child. Also, Devon is going to be the OC of the story. She will become a part of Will and Lou's lives as well as Nathan's.**_

Chapter Five

Devon Sharpe sat at her desk while she looked through her emails then sat back in the chair and sighed. She knew her reputation as a cold-hearted bitch hadn't made things easy, but she also knew she had to be tough or people would walk all over her. She had come from an abusive household and had spent years in and out of the system after her father had been arrested and her mother's suicide. When she was accepted into one of the finest universities in the UK, she vowed to make sure no child would have to go through what she suffered and people like Alicia and Rupert Freshwell made her ill.

"Excuse me, Miss Sharpe," a voice said as she blinked and looked at Stuart Stone. Stu worked in the mailroom and she knew he had a tiny crush on, but she had a rule to never go out with people she worked with. "This just came for you."

"Thanks, Stu," she said and he walked to the desk, placed the envelope down on top of her desk then left the office. She watched him close the door when she moved the envelope closer and took the envelop in her hands. She did recognize the address in the upper corner, but she wasn't sure why someone like Darren Grey would be sending her anything. Frowning, she opened the envelope, slid out four pieces of paper, read the information as her eyes widened and she sat forward. "Shit."

Louisa sat at the desk as she looked at her notes and strummed her fingers against the side of her head. She admitted she was nervous her first few days at university, but she soon fell into the routine. Her head master was kind enough to allow her to stay at the annex and do some classes online, but she had to go to a few lectures from time to time. She had also started making friends and Will had agreed for her to have a few study dates at the annex. Some of her new friends were a little unsure what to do when they met Will, but relaxed once they looked passed the wheelchair and got to know him.

"Ready for a break?" made her look over at Will while he smiled and she sat up straighter.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked, getting up, walking to the wheelchair and sat down on his lap.

"I thought we could discuss when we should get married."

"Ok. I do have had a few dates in mind."

"Such as?" he asked, arching his eyebrows up.

"How about the day we met?"

"That was one of the dates I had in mind," he said with a small nod.

"We could have a Christmas wedding."

"Ah…. No…."

"Why not?" she asked and arched her eyebrows down.

"We couldn't take any outdoor photographs because I can't be out in the cold for very long."

"Good point."

"What about August twelfth?" he asked and she gave him a slightly shocked look.

"That's when….," she said and he barely nodded.

"That's when I was supposed to die."

"Uh, no, I don't think so. What about your birthday?!"

"Nah! How about your birthday?" he asked with a grin and his dimples dented his cheeks.

"Ok," she said moved back and brushed some hair behind his right ear.

"Uh…," came from behind them as Will flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around to face Nathan. "Just came in to give you this."

They watched him walk closer as she got up and took the parcel out of his hand. She looked at the address in the upper left corner as she frowned and her eyebrows knitted together.

"Do you know a Darren H. Grey?" she asked, looking at Will.

"My mother mentioned him once," Will said.

"He sent you something," she said as she showed him the parcel and Will frowned.

"Open it," he said and she carefully opened the top of the parcel. She removed the plastic jewel cases with what looked like CDs or DVDs in them then four pieces of paper and Nathan placed the jewel cases on the desk. She looked at the top piece of paper when her eyes widened and Will noticed the shocked look on her face. "Clark, what's wrong?"

"It's a letter from your friend, Rupert Freshwell."

"What does it say?"

"I don't know if I should tell you."

"Why not?"

"Well, either you won't believe it or you're going to get really upset."

"Let me see," Nathan said as she handed him the piece of paper and he read the letter. "Shite."

"Will one of you let me see the letter?!" Will asked as he got annoyed and Louisa took the piece of paper from Nathan, sat on Will's lap then held up the piece of paper so Will could read the letter.

_Will,_

_If you are reading this letter, then I finally have the courage to tell you the truth._

_Let me begin with an apology._

_Yes, I have told you this before, but I feel that I must say again how sorry I am for my part in your accident._

_If it hadn't been for the messages I left and the phone call, you wouldn't have lost the life you had._

_I also wish to apologize for taking Alicia away from you._

_As I told you when we came to tell you we were getting married, it wasn't like I planned for it to happen._

_It was all her idea._

_Now, I guess I better explain what this letter is about._

_Do you remember when you and Alicia broke up?_

"When was that?" Louisa asked.

"It was four years ago. We broke up in March then got back together the following February," Will said, looking back at the letter.

_I tried to convince her to get back together with you, but she refused._

_She told me she could do better than being stuck with you._

_I asked her who could be better than you and she said it was me._

_I was floored._

_I had no idea she felt that way about me._

_It turned out I was right. She didn't feel that way, but I didn't care._

_We had only been dating a few weeks when something happened to change all that._

_Will, Alicia found out she was… She was pregnant._

Louisa saw the look on Will's face after he re-read that part over and over and started breathing hard through his nose.

"Right. That's enough," she said as she got up and placed the letter on the desk.

"No! I want to read the rest of it!" Will said, glaring at her.

"Not if it's going to get you this upset," Nathan said as he walked closer and checked Will's pulse. "Your pulse's already going too fast."

"Please?!" Will pleaded and Louisa looked at Nathan.

"Let's get you in bed first," Nathan said as Will sighed and they left the room. Louisa looked at the piece of paper while a voice in her head told her to tear it up, but she picked the piece of paper up and left the room.

Rupert looked at the screen as he typed on the keyboard then was startled when he heard voices coming from behind the door to his office.

"For the last time, you can't go in there!" his secretary, Margaret, shouted as the door opened and Devon stormed in the room. Devon headed for the desk when she slammed the four pieces of paper she had brought with her on the desk and glared at him. "Mister Freshwell, I'm so sorry."

"That's alright, Maggie," he said as she nodded, but left the door open as she walked away. He looked at Devon when he sat back in the chair and folded his arms over his chest. "Hello, Miss Sharpe. Is there something I can do for you?"

"You can explain what you're up to," Devon said. "You swore in court to tell the truth."

"I know what I swore to," he said with a curt tone then sighed, pinching his eyes closed with his finger and thumb.

"You lied!"

"It wasn't the first time. I swore in a house of God that I was coming into my marriage with a clear conscious and noble purpose. What you fail to see is the reasoning behind the lies. I had no choice. My wife…her father, actually…is very powerful. If I had not agreed to follow through with their actions, I would have been ruined."

"That can't be true."

"It is true. I would have lost_ everything_!"

She watched Rupert place his head in his hands as he shook his head and strummed her fingers on the desk.

"Why are you coming forward now?" she asked and he looked at her.

"The answer is quite simple. I am tired of living a lie."

"If this is some sort of trick…"

"No, this isn't a trick," he said with a shake of his head.

"Mister Freshwell, I am sorry to interrupt, but you're needed in the head office," Margaret said as she stood in the doorway and Devon turned to look at her.

"Isn't this convenient," Devon said, looking at Rupert. Rupert swallowed the lump in his throat as she picked up the four pieces of paper, turned and stormed out of the room while Maggie looked from him to Devon then walked away.

Louisa sat on the bed next to Will while Nathan checked Will's blood pressure then placed the medical equipment away and wrote the information in Will's medical file.

"Well, now that I am in bed, medicated and relaxed, can I read the rest of the letter?" Will asked with a slightly annoyed tone to his voice.

"Sure," Louisa said as she climbed onto the bed and sat next to him. She held up the piece of paper as he tried to find where he left off and she saw the muscles in his jaw twitching.

_When she found out she was pregnant, she went insane._

_She wasn't sure if you were the father or if it was me._

_I demanded she should contact you, but she refused and threatened to ruin my career…my entire life…if I said anything._

_In fact, she threatened to terminate the pregnancy if I so much as thought about it._

"Would she have really done that!?" Louisa asked with a shocked look and Nathan softly swore.

"Yes," Will said then sighed.

_When we told our parents about the pregnancy, her parents were overjoyed, but mine were furious._

_My father didn't believe I was the father and demanded a paternity test after she had given birth._

_I know it sounds selfish, but I really wanted the baby to be mine._

_Imagine my surprise when I found out Alicia had given birth to your son._

"I… I have a son?!" Will whispered with a slightly stunned look on his face and tears were pooling around his eyes. Louisa placed the piece of paper down as Nathan helped her move Will so she could hold him and Will leaned his head against hers. Nathan gently rubbed Will's back as Will softly sobbed and Louisa made soft hushing noises.

Devon sat at her desk as she typed on the keyboard and looked at the screen. She had been searching for the name Rupert included in the letter he had sent her and found articles about Will. She read the articles as she looked at the photos of Will and a few of the photos included Alicia. Devon snorted a breath of air when something caught her eye and a shocked look moved across her face. She read the article about Will's accident when she read the article again and the photos someone had taken of the accident scene made her feel like she was going to be sick. She searched for any other articles about the accident when she found an article mentioning Will was now a quadriplegic and she sighed.

"Shit," she said softly and looked at the photo of Will smiling. Turning the screen off after saving the information, Devon got up as she walked to the door and left her office.

"Are you sure you want to keep going?" Louisa asked while laying Will against the pillows and he barely nodded. After Nathan examined Will then gave him some antihistamines and used the aspirator to clear his sinuses, Louisa moved the hair from Will's forehead and they looked at the piece of paper.

_His name is Alec William._

_Alec is my grandfather's name, but I demanded she use your name as well._

_Will, when I look at him, I see you._

_He has the same hair._

_He has the same eyes and face._

_He has the same smile._

_He has the same stubborn streak and doesn't change his mind when he wants to do something._

_He's very intelligent._

_The real clue that he was your son is he loves to take risks, but not unnecessary ones._

_I thought raising him would, somehow, relieve some of the guilt I had, but fate, or whatever it was, had other plans._

_It all started the day Alicia hired Victoria Collins as his nanny._

_Don't get me wrong._

_I like Victoria._

_She is a very sweet young woman and she is also an excellent nanny._

_She took him on outings._

_She made sure he ate properly and went to bed at a decent hour._

_She made sure he didn't get hurt, but, like most little boys, he did get a scrape or two._

_She took care of him when he had a cold or a fever from teething._

_But none of that could prepare me for what happened next._

_While we were on our honeymoon, we received a call from Alicia's mother and we were told Alec was in the hospital._

_His right shoulder had been dislocated and he had severe bruising to his right wrist and back and he had suffered a small concussion._

_She said Victoria had done it._

_We returned home immediately, but we were informed he was still in the hospital, we were unable to see him and he was going to be placed under the protection of Child Services._

_Alicia was livid, as was I, but we were also shocked to learn from his doctor that Alec was unable to tell the police anything about how he was injured due to the concussion._

_We were questioned by the police as well, but nothing we said brought any light to the investigation. and that was when Devon Sharpe entered our lives._

Camilla sat at her desk as she read over the next court case she had to preside over then leaned back in the chair. She looked at the framed photo of Will and Louisa Will had given her and Louisa was sitting on Will's lap while wearing a scuba diving outfit. She congratulated herself for giving this unexperienced young woman a chance and Camilla smiled, placing the frame back down on the desk. She looked up when someone knocked on the door to her office and she frowned.

"Come in," she said.

The door opened while her assistant, Marshall Greyson, walked in the room and placed his hands behind his back.

"Sorry to interrupt you, Milady, but there is a Miss Devon Sharpe here to see you," Marshall said.

Camilla had heard of Devon as she tried to figure out why she was here and looked at Marshall with a confused look.

"Does she have an appointment?"

"No, but she says it is very important. Do you wish me to tell her to come back later?"

"No, let her in," Camilla said with a wave of her hand and Marshall nodded then turned to look into the inner office.

"You may come in," Marshall said and stood back so Devon could come in the room. Camilla looked her over with her eyes while Devon walked to the desk and Camilla noticed she had a file in her hands.

"You may go," Camilla said as Marshall nodded and closed the door behind him as he left. Camilla looked at Devon when Devon held the file to her chest and Camilla gave her a blank look. "How may I help you, Miss Sharpe?"

"Have you received anything from a Mister Darren H. Grey?" Devon asked. Camilla looked through her in box when she found an envelope and slid the envelope out from the pile. She looked at the top right corner and blinked before looking at Devon.

"What is this?"

"Open it and find out," Devon said and Camilla opened the envelope. She slid out the four pieces of paper when she started reading the first piece of paper then looked at Devon.

"Is this…!? Is this true!?"

"I have talked to Mister Freshwell and he assures me it's true."

"That bitch!" Camila said as she placed the pieces of paper down on the desk and sat back in the chair. "I knew she was upset when my son broke things off with her, but this is…! This is cruel and vindictive!"

"It could also be a trick. You see, Milady, they are in the middle of trying to get the child back…"

"They're trying to get him back!?"

"Yes, they are under investigation of numerous counts of abuse and neglect."

"I see," she said and crossed her arms under her breasts.

"If it is alright with you, I would like your permission to go see your son and ask if he will agree to a paternity test."

"I don't know if he'd allow it. William doesn't like to be poked and prodded. Not since…"

"Not since the accident," Devon said with a nod. "But, for your piece of mind as well his, it is prudent for he to have the test to be done."

Camilla looked at the letter and the other two pieces of paper while she tried to comprehend the information staring at her in the face then looked at Devon.

"I will allow you to see him, but I am coming with you."

"Alright," Devon said with a nod and Camilla looked at the framed photo of Will and Louisa.

"Are you sure you want to keep going?" Louisa asked and Will barely nodded.

_Devon Sharpe is a cutthroat Child Services' caseworker._

_She gives no warning to when she shows up and takes no quarter if the tiniest thing is off._

_We have had Alec taken from us numerous times over the last few months and was warned the next time she has to take him, it would be the last._

_That happened a few nights ago when she arrived unannounced and came to find Alicia and I having dinner, but Alec was upstairs in the nursery._

_When she asked where he was, I took her to the nursery and she was stunned, as was I, to learn Alec had not eaten since breakfast due to the nanny falling asleep or just forgetting to feed him and had locked the door to the nursery._

_Alec was also wet from urinating on himself and Devon Sharpe took him with her when she left._

_Alicia demanded I get Alec back or she would tell the press__** I**__ was the one who had been abusing Alec._

_I knew she was serious, but I also had enough._

_I gathered all the information I have and went to see one of my father's solicitors._

_He promised to send all the information involving Alec to you, your mother, the detective assigned to the investigation and Devon Sharpe, but the rest will only be used if something happens to me._

_Yes, I know I sound paranoid, but I am also desperate._

_I also hope you will one day find it in your heart to forgive me._

_Rupert_

Louisa placed the piece of paper on the table next to the bed then looked at Will and he blinked the tears from his eyes. She watched Nathan examine Will then nodded to tell her Will was alright as she placed her head against Will's shoulder and her hand rested on his chest.

"Will…" she said and he glanced at her. Will knew she wanted to say something as he sighed and looked at the ceiling.

"No offense, Clark, but I don't feel like talking right now," Will said and she snuggled a little closer. She slid her hand up to his shoulder as he wanted so badly to wrap his arms around her and blinked.

"I'll come back to check on him in a bit," Nathan said as Louisa nodded and he left the room. The room became quiet as she listened to Will's breathing and lifted her head enough to see he had a lost look in his eyes. She knew he had retreated into his head as she lowered hers and looked at a spot on the wall.

Rupert glanced around while he stood in the queue and held tightly onto the handle of the shopping basket. He knew he would get into trouble if he was caught, but he also knew he had to leave the country. He looked at the box with hair dye, as well as some other items, when he placed the items on the counter and the woman behind the register gave him a little smile.

After paying, Rupert left the shop when his phone buzzed and he reached into his jeans pocket and removed his phone. He pushed the buttons when he looked at the screen and leaned against the brick wall behind him.

**Everything is ready. Bring the money or the deal is off.**

**Don't worry. I'll bring it.**

Placing the phone back in his jeans pocket, he kicked off the wall as he looked to see if anyone was following him and quickly moved down the pavement.


	6. Chapter 6

**_ A/N: I know Will's child in the book was a teenage girl, but I thought it would be better for him to have a small son. I don't know if Child Services in the UK would allow what Devon does in this chapter, but I thought it would be nice for Will and Lou to bond with Alec. Hope you are all liking the story and will review._**

Chapter Six

The sound of the sliding doors opening made Nathan looked up from the laptop when he got up and walked out of the kitchen. He had gone back to check on Louisa and Will, but they were sleeping and he had never felt so angry in his life.

"Hello, Nathan," Camilla said.

"Hey, Mrs. T," he said with a nod then looked at Devon. "Who is this?"

"This is Miss Devon Sharpe. She is here to see William. Miss Sharpe, this is Nathan. He is Will's primary caregiver."

"Hello," Devon said and he nodded, looking at Camilla.

"I'm afraid this isn't a good time. He's having a really bad day," he said and Camilla became concerned.

"How bad is he?" Camilla asked.

"Bad enough."

"Why didn't you call me!?"

"I tried, but you must have had your phone off."

Camilla sighed as she mentally kicked herself and Devon noticed the concerned look in Nathan's eyes.

"May I ask what is wrong with Mister Traynor?" Devon asked.

"He's exhausted."

"Did he have an AD attack?" Camilla asked.

"What is that?" Devon asked. Nathan explained while Louisa came into the room and Camilla noticed the worried look on her face.

"Louisa, is William…?" Camilla asked.

"He's awake," Louisa said, looking back into the room. "I was just going to get him a protein shake."

"I'll go get it," Nathan said while heading for the kitchen and Louisa looked at Devon.

"Who is she?" Louisa asked, walking to Camilla.

"This is Devon Sharpe," Camilla said and Devon slightly backed up after seeing the anger in Louisa's eyes. "This is Louisa Clark. She's my son's fiancé."

"Hello," Devon said as she folded her hands in front of her.

"Louisa," came from the bedroom as Louisa quickly headed for the doorway and went inside. Will was sitting slightly upright as she walked to the bed, crawled up the mattress and sat down next to him. Nathan walked in the room when he placed the protein shake on the night table then he helped her hold Will as Will rested his head against her shoulder and she took Will's hand, wrapping their fingers together.

"How are you feeling?" Louisa asked.

"I'm feeling a little better," Will said and could just see her moving her fingers over the back of his hand. "I heard voices when I woke up."

"Your mother's here and she brought Devon Sharpe with her."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Do you want to see her?"

"I guess," he said and she helped him rest against the pillows. They saw Camilla and Devon in the doorway as Devon looked at Will and she saw how tired and upset he looked.

"Hello, Mister Traynor," Devon said as she walked to the foot of the bed.

"Hello, Miss Sharpe," he said.

"Do you feel up to talking to me?"

"No, I don't feel up to it, but, seeing that you're here, I guess I should."

"Why are you here?" Louisa asked.

"I need to speak to him about the information he received from a Mister Darren H. Grey," Devon said then looked Will in the eyes. "You have received something from him, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have," Will said.

"Have you read the information?"

"Yes, I have,"

"I hope you understand this might be a ruse…a trick…Rupert Freshwell and his wife have concocted to get their son back."

"Is it?"

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"They've pulled something like this before?"

"No, but I have had some clients who have."

"How do we go about finding out if he is my son or not?"

"I need to do a paternity test. Once you agree to do that, I will send the test…."

"How do we know the place you're going to send the test to will not inform the Freshwells or Alicia's parents about it or tamper with the test to prove my son is not the father?" Camilla asked and Devon looked at her. She knew Camilla was trying to intimidate her as Devon kept her face blank and she half lowered her eyelids.

"That is a valid question," Devon said with a nod. "I assure you I will see to it personally that the test goes to the right person."

"Don't we need the child here to do the test?"

"No, we don't, but I had to know if Mister Traynor wishes to do the test first."

"Where is he?" Will asked.

"He with a foster family."

"Is he alright?"

"Yes, the family we placed him with has an excellent reputation."

"May I have the name of the family?" Camilla asked.

"Of course," she said with a nod then looked at Will. "Do you wish to do the test?"

"Yes, but I also want to meet him," Will said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Then, if you excuse me, I'll go get him," Devon said with a small nod then headed for the door.

"Mind if I go with you?" Nathan asked.

"Why?" she asked, looking at him.

"Just making sure you're not up to something," Nathan said. Devon glared at him then nodded and they left the room.

"Do you really think this is a trick?" Louisa asked, looking at Will.

"I wouldn't put it pass Alicia to pull something like this," Will said.

"What I don't understand is why Rupert would be so cruel," Camilla said as she walked to the bed and sat on the edge of the bed.

"He had no choice, Mother. According to the letter Rupert sent me, Alicia threatened to ruin him or terminate the pregnancy if he didn't agree."

"What do you want to do if it turns out the boy is your son?"

"I want custody."

"William…"

"Please," he said as he gave her a pleading look and she sighed.

"I am well aware you are concerned with his wellbeing. But what we need to think about is what is best for the both of you. Your health and welfare should be top priority and Louisa has just started her education."

"I do most of my classes at home," Louisa said.

"And I am not that hard to take care of," Will said as he glanced at Louisa. "Am I, Clark?"

"No, you're not," Louisa said and Camilla smiled at the sweet looks they gave each other.

"Where would he sleep?" Camilla asked. "There are only two bedrooms."

"Uh….," Will said then went silent.

"Will, what's wrong?" Louisa asked.

"Nothing's wrong. It's just that I was planning adding onto the annex. It was going to be a workroom for you," he said and she felt her heart melting.

A short time later, Devon and Nathan appeared in the doorway as Will looked at the small boy with dark brown hair and blue/grey eyes in her arms and Camilla's heart jumped in her chest.

"_Oh my God! He looks just like William,"_ Camilla thought while Devon walked to the bed and adjusted her hold on the boy. Will looked at him while the boy looked around the room and Devon lightly tapped the boy's hand.

"Alec, can you say hello to Mister Traynor?" Devon asked and Alec looked at Will.

"No," Alec said with a shake of his head then looked away.

"Well, I guess we should get this over with," Will said and Devon nodded. Devon sat Alec on the bed when she sat next to him and placed the small black case Nathan had handed her on her lap. She opened the case when she removed two long glass bottles containing two wooden sticks with cotton swabs on the end and two long empty glass tubes. After removing the first wooden stick from the first long glass tube, she handed the wooden stick to Louisa as Louisa looked at Will and he opened his mouth.

"Just lightly rubbed the cotton swab against the lining of his cheeks," Devon said and Louisa nodded. She moved the cotton swab against the lining of Will's cheeks then handed the wooden stick to Devon and Devon placed the wooden stick in the first long glass tube, placing the cap on the long glass tube.

"Your turn," Will said as he glanced at Alec and Alec opened his mouth. Devon moved the cotton swab against the lining of Alec' cheeks then placed the wooden stick in the other long glass tube, placing the cap on the long glass tube.

"How long will it take to get the results?" Camilla asked as Devon placed the long glass tubes in the small black case.

"It normally takes a week or two to get the results, but, hopefully, I can get the results by tomorrow," Devon said while Alec moved toward Will and Will smiled at him.

"Hi," Will said and Alec reached down to touch the fingers of Will's left hand. Alec lightly moved Will's fingers as Will watched him then Alec looked over toward Will's right hand. Will tried hard not to laugh while Alec carefully crawled on top of him then took hold of Will's right index finger and Louisa smiled at Will.

"Uh, Alec, don't do that," Devon said.

"It's ok," Will said as Alec looked at him, sat on Will's stomach and blinked while tilting his head to one side.

"Where will Alec be staying until you get the results back?" Camilla asked.

"He'll have to go back to the foster family he's been staying with," Devon said.

"Are you sure he can't stay here?" Will asked while Alec looked at her and Devon noticed they had the same sad eyed look.

"No, I'm afraid not," Devon said as she went to pick Alec off of Will, but Alec gently climbed off of Will and went to sit on Louisa's lap. "Come on, Alec. It's time to go."

"No!" Alec said, leaning into Louisa.

"_He's got William's stubborn streak as well,"_ Camilla thought with a smile.

"Can't he just stay overnight? Louisa asked as she wrapped her arms around Alec. Devon looked at them when she sighed and lightly pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Fine, but, if he gets too upset, call me and I'll come get him," she said and Nathan led her out of the room. Camilla, Will and Louisa noticed Alec didn't react to her leaving as he looked up at Louisa then looked at Will. He then looked at the wheelchair as he frowned and pointed to the wheelchair.

"What's that?" Alec asked.

"When Nathan comes back, I'll show you," Will said and Alec got off of Louisa's lap to sit next to him.

"Not to put a damper on things, but are you sure you want to do this?" Camilla asked.

"Yes."

"Then I think I better go get a pair of pajamas you used to wear when you were his age down from the attic," she said then left the room and Louisa watched Alec playing with the fingers on Will's right hand.

Devon walked down the hallway when she looked at the door to the paternity test lab and placed the palm of her hand against the wood. She lightly tapped her fingers against the wood when she looked at the small black case then turned and walked back down the hallway. She walked to the door to one of the other paternity test labs when she opened the door and a tall young man with dark brown hair and green eyes looked at her. His wire rimmed glasses were perched on top of his head, the white lab coat covered a white t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans and he was wearing blue plastic booties over his white trainers.

"Hey, Devon," Doctor Samuel Walsh said as she walked closer and placed the small black case and paper work on the counter.

"Hey, Sam," she said as he looked at the small black case and the paper work. "I need you to run a test for me."

"Is it a paternity test?" he asked, putting on a pair of blue plastic gloves.

"Yeah."

"Why not let Johnston do it?"

"He's not trustworthy," she said as he noticed the serious look on her face. "You are."

"Sounds like it's one of _those_ cases," he said, lowering the glasses to rest on the bridge of his nose then slid the small black case and paper work towards him. "How soon do you need this?"

"I need it by tomorrow morning."

"Ok," he said with a nod and Devon left the room. She looked down the hallway when she blinked, turned and walked away.

"Beep-beep!" Will said as he made the wheelchair do another lap around the main room and Alec laughed while sitting on his lap.

"Beep-beep!" Alec repeated when Louisa came out of the den and leaned against the wall.

"Alright. That's enough," she said as she walked closer and they looked at her.

"No," Alec said as he leaned against Will's chest and Will tried hard not to smile.

"Is that your favorite word?" she teased as she knelt next to the wheelchair and Alec's lower lip stuck out as he pouted.

"Did you finish your homework?" Will asked.

"Yes, I did," she said as she stood up then looked at her watch. "And, according to my watch, it's bath time."

"For him or for me?"

"For him. I'll give you a shower tomorrow," Louisa said and Alec' eyes widened. He started whimpering as he buried his face in Will's chest and they looked at him. His body started shaking while Louisa knelt down again and Will looked over at the file Devon had left them. He flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair moved toward the coffee table and Louisa stood, following them. Will parked the wheelchair near the table as he looked at the file and Louisa opened the file so he could read the reports.

"Oh," Louisa said as she looked at the reports and the anger she thought was gone resurfaced.

"How could someone do this?" Will asked as he looked at the report about Rupert catching Victoria Collins as she placed Alec in the bathtub filled with boiling hot water.

"I don't know," she said as Alec looked up at Will and lightly patted Will's chest. Louisa closed the file when she looked toward the master bedroom when she got an idea and he noticed the look on her face.

"Follow me," she said as she walked to the bedroom and he flicked the joystick with his finger so the wheelchair followed her. They went in the room while Louisa headed for the bathroom and Will wondered what she was up to. "Bring him over here."

Will guided the wheelchair into the bathroom then to the shower as she placed the plastic seat cover on the shower chair and walked out of the room.

"I'll be right back," she said and Alec looked up at Will.

"Don't look at me," Will said. A few minutes later Louisa returned with a bottle of children's shampoo and bar of soap, a wash flannel, a blue child's towel with a hood, a pair of child's pajamas. She placed the bottle of children's shampoo and the soap and the wash flannel on the plastic seat after draping the towel and pajamas on the counter. Will noticed she had changed into her bathing suit, like she did when she helped Nathan bathe him, and he finally understood what she had in mind.

"Alec, would you like Lou to give you a shower?" he asked and Alec looked from the shower chair then at Louisa.

"Yeah," Alec said with a nod and Louisa walked over, picking Alec off Will's lap. Will watched Louisa undressed Alec when he noticed some bruises on Alec's back and Louisa gently shook her head when she noticed them. She carried Alec into the shower when she sat him down on the shower chair then removed the shower massage from the holder. She barely turned the water on as Alec looked at her then got off the shower chair and ran to the wheelchair. Will glanced at him as Louisa walked closer and knelt down in front of Alec.

"It's ok, Alec. The water's not hot," she said while holding out her hand and Alec cautiously took it. They walked back to the shower when she held up the shower massage and he felt the water dribbling on his toes. He gave her a smile as she placed the shower massage down then placed him on the shower chair and he sat up a little straighter. Will watched her bathe Alec as Alec giggled, but got a little scared when she politely asked him not to squirt her with the shower massage. She lightly tickled him as Alec giggled then noticed Will looked a little sad about not joining them.

"Why does he look sad?" Alec asked while pointing at him and Louisa looked at Will.

"What's wrong?" Louisa asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Will said, but she didn't believe him. Nodding, she finished the shower as she turned the water off, went to get the hooded towel and wrapped the towel around Alec, placing the hood on his head. He lightly laughed as she dried him off then dressed him in the child's pajamas and Alec looked at Will. He walked over to the wheelchair while Louisa followed and carefully lifted Alec off the floor, placing him on Will's lap. Alec knelt on Will's thighs as he tickled Will's chest, but Will barely shook his head and Alec pouted.

"Alec, tickle his neck," Louisa said and Will glared at her.

"Now wait…," Will said as Alec tickled Will's neck and Will grinned. Alec carefully sat down as he leaned back against Will and Will arched up an eyebrow.

"Feeling better?" she asked while walking closer.

"Much better," he said and Alec smiled up at him.

"I'll be right back," Louisa said when she went to dry off then changed into her Minnie Mouse t-shirt and white pajamas bottom with pink polka dots and had brought the hair dryer and hair brush with her.

"Um, I don't think that's a good idea," he said and Alec looked at the hairdryer.

"I'll use the warm setting," she said as she plugged in the hairdryer and turned the hairdryer on.

"No," Alec said with a small whimper. Louisa felt her heart aching when she aimed the hairdryer at them and Will felt the warm air blowing in his face. Alec giggled as he playfully covered his head while she came closer then turned the hairdryer off.

"Can I turn the hairdryer back on?" Louisa asked.

"Yes," Alec said with a nod and she picked him off Will's lap then sat Alec on the counter. She turned the hairdryer on as she dried Alec' hair and he lightly swung his feet back and forth. She turned the hairdryer off when she placed Alec back on Will's lap and slid the handle of the hairbrush in Will's right hand. Will watched as she gently folded his fingers over the handle of the hairbrush then carefully lifted his arm and he helped her brush Alec' hair.

"There. All done," she said and Alec and Will grinned. Louisa noticed the small dimples denting Alec' cheeks as her heart melted and Will gave her a wink.

"Do you think it will be alright for us to watch some cartoons before bed?" Will asked.

"Yes, that will be fine," she said and he flicked the joystick with his finger then the wheelchair left the room. She suddenly realized he had left her to clean up the bathroom as she softly laughed and rolled her eyes.

Louisa could tell by how he was breathing that Will was still awake and she sat up, turning the light on so she could look at him. Will's eyes were closed as she smiled then leaned over and brushed some hair from his forehead.

"I know you're awake," she said and he opened his eyes, looking at her. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Will said with a small sigh. "I guess all of this has given me insomnia."

"Do you want me to get you something to help you go to sleep?"

"No, but I would like you to go check on Alec," he said as he glanced toward the door. Nodding, she got out of bed as she left the room and walked to the doorway to the other bedroom. The light was on in the other room so she could easily see Alec sleeping peacefully under the covers and was holding onto one of Will's t-shirts.

"_He's asleep,"_ she had told Will as they watched an age appropriate cartoon movie in the home theatre and she had noticed how sleepy Will looked. _"And it looks like it's bedtime for you, too."_

"_I'm fine."_ Will said then moaned.

"_Did you just yawn?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Then let's go."_

"_What about the movie?"_

"_We'll watch it again tomorrow."_

She smiled then walked back to the other room when she crawled under the covers and Will glanced at her.

"Is he alright?" Will asked.

"Yes, he's sound asleep," she said as she turned to turn the lights off and snuggled closer, placing her head against his shoulder. "And I think I know why you can't sleep. Your Daddy Radar is on overdrive."

"My _what_?!" he asked, wide eyed.

"Your Daddy Radar. That's what my dad used to call that feeling he'd get at night when Treena and I were little. Mum told me he'd get up at least three or four times to make sure we were ok. Once he was sure, he would come back to bed and fall asleep."

"But we're not even sure he _is_ my son."

"It doesn't matter. A part of you believes he _is_ your son and has turned your Daddy Radar on."

"Well, I wish it would shut _off_ so I can get some sleep," he grumbled and she smiled.

"Close your eyes," she said and he closed his eyes. She knew he couldn't feel it as she slowly moved her fingers in small circles on his chest and he soon fell asleep. Placing her head in her hand, she watched him sleeping for a few minutes then placed her head against his shoulder, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The doors slid open while Rupert walked inside and held onto the handle of the suitcase in his left hand. The strap of the overnight bag was over his right shoulder and he removed the sunglasses when he walked toward the listing of flights. Once he picked a destination, he headed for the ticket desk, placed the suitcase down and the young woman with blonde hair smiled at him.

"May I help you?" she asked as he removed the passport out of his jean jacket pocket and placed the passport on the counter.

"Yes, I would like to purchase a ticket," he said.

"Where are you going?" she asked as she started typing on the keyboard.

"I am going to Sydney."

"Is this for business or holiday?"

"Business. I am starting a new job."

"May I see your passport?" she asked and he slid the passport toward her. She opened the passport when she looked at the name and the photograph. She typed on the keyboard then slid the passport to him and Rupert placed the passport back in his pocket. "We have a Qantas flight leaving at Gate Two. Is that alright?"

"Yes," he said with a nod.

"Would you like a first-class ticket?"

"No," Rupert said while she typed on the keyboard then told him how much the ticket cost and he removed the credit card from his wallet. He handed her the credit card when she scanned the credit card then handed the credit card back to him. Placing the credit card away, he gave her a nod then turned and walked away.

Sitting in the boarding lounge, Rupert looked at the passport in his hands when he closed the passport then placed the passport in the pocket of his jean jacket. The flight attendant made the boarding announcement as he got up and went to stand in the queue. He smiled at the flight attendant when she told him where his seat was as he went to sit down, placed the seatbelt on and waited for the plane to take off.

"Would you like a drink, Sir?" the flight attendant asked, but he shook his head and, a few minutes later, watched the clouds going by the window. Sighing, he leaned back against the seat when he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Will made a soft sigh when he opened his eyes and glanced to his right. Louisa wasn't in bed and he glanced over to the doorway while a sense of fear and worry moved through him. He was about to call out her name when she appeared in the doorway and gave him a small smile.

"Hi," she said as she walked to the bed then sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Where did you go?" he asked with a sleepy tone to his voice.

"I went to check on Alec," she said as she looked at the digital clock and opened the drawer.

"Is he alright?"

"Yes," she said, getting out the medical equipment. "But he did wake up and wanted a glass of water."

"Did he go right back to sleep afterwards?"

"Yes," she said with a nod and started the early morning routine. After she finished, she put the medical equipment away, wrote the information in the medical file then moved Will onto his right side and placed the support pillow behind his back. She slid under the covers after turning the lights off and snuggled next to him. She could just see him smile as she smiled back and he wanted to reach out and take her hand. "What's wrong?"

"I forgot to tell you something."

"What was it?"

"I forgot to say thank you."

"Thank you?"

"Yes," he said, barely nodding his head. "Even though we don't know for sure Alec is mine, you are willing to take on the responsibility of taking care of him as well as take care of me."

"Oh, well, you're welcome," Louisa said, stroking his cheek with her fingers. He enjoyed feeling her fingers moving over his skin as a small cool tingle moved through him and she moved her finger along the edge of his bottom lip. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"Well, I am wondering who, in their right mind, would want to harm a child?"

"I don't know," she said with a sigh, moved the covers up and snuggled closer. She heard him make a little moan as she closed her eyes and, after hearing his breathing evening out, drifted off to sleep.

The soft ping sounded as the lift doors opened and Devon walked down the hallway. Her heels clicked on the tile flooring while she headed for the door and she opened the door.

"Hey, I was about to call you!" Sam said with a grin and pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Please tell me it's good news," Devon said, walking closer and Sam gave her an annoyed look while folding his arms over his chest.

"No, it's bad news," he said and she laughed, rolling her eyes. He shrugged when he slid the envelope toward her and she picked up the envelope.

"Thanks," she said as she gave him a little nod and headed for the door.

"Anytime," he said and she left the room then closed the door behind her.

Nathan walked down the hallway when he stopped in the doorway and looked at Louisa and Will sleeping. He was about to walk in the room when he felt someone pulling on his fingers and looked down to see Alec looking up at him.

"Morning, Little Mate," Nathan said in a soft voice when he picked Alec up and held him in his arms. They walked toward the bed while Will made a small sigh and slowly opened his eyes. He blinked his eyes a few times then looked at Nathan and Alec and Nathan adjusted his hold on Alec. "Hey."

"Morning," Will said, watching Nathan put Alec next to Will then Nathan reached over to light shake Louisa's shoulder.

"What's wrong!?" Louisa asked as she quickly woke up then saw Alec sitting next to Will. She watched as the tears in Alec' eyes rolled down his cheeks as he snuggled against Will and Louisa felt her heart hurting. "Oh, Sweetie, did I scare you?"

Alec nodded as Nathan moved Will's arm so he was holding Alec and Alec placed his face against Will's chest.

"I'm sorry," she said, gently carding the top of Alec' head and Will hushed him. Alec glanced at her while Louisa held her arms out and he moved to cuddle with her. She kissed the top of his head as Will smiled and Alec made a little sniff. Nathan handed Louisa a tissue from the box on the night table and Louisa wiped Alec's nose.

"Why don't you and Lou go get you dressed so Nathan can examine me," Will said and Alec frowned.

"Why do you have to do that?" Alec asked, looking at Nathan.

"I have to do this to make sure Will isn't getting sick," Nathan said.

"You won't hurt him?" Alec asked and they were a little stunned he would ask something like that.

"I would never hurt him." Nathan said and Alec saw the truth in his eyes. Moving the bedding back, Louisa got out of bed when she picked Alec up, left the room and Will noticed the look on Nathan's face.

"What's the matter?" Will asked.

"I'm worried," Nathan said while removing the medical equipment from the drawer and opened the medical file.

"About what?"

"About what is going to happen if it turns out he's not your son," Nathan said then started examining him.

"I'm going to fight for custody."

"Even if he's not yours?"

"Even if he's not mine."

"You've gotten really attached to him, haven't you?"

"Haven't you?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod of his head, examined him and gave Will his morning medications.

"How's he doing?" Louisa asked as she came back in the room and Alec was wearing a white t-shirt with cartoon bears on the front, jeans, white socks and white trainers. She placed Alec down next to Will as Nathan placed the medical equipment and the medical file away and Alec started playing with Will's fingers.

"He's good," Nathan said, walking to the dresser and picked up Will's clothes.

"Get up," Alec said, lightly pulling on Will's finger and Will smiled.

"I have to get dressed first," Will said, grinning as his eyes widened and Alec giggled.

"How about you and I help Nathan get him dressed then we can have breakfast?" Louisa asked.

"Can we have pancakes?!" Alec asked and she saw the same deep dimples that dented Will's cheeks.

"I wouldn't mind having pancakes for breakfast," Will said with a smug look on his face.

"Pancakes it is!" Louisa said, picking up Alec and Nathan went to get Will's clothes.

Devon walked down the hallway while tapping the envelope against her fingertips and the sound of her heels clicked on the tile flooring echoed down the hallway. She placed the palm of her hand on her office door when she heard loud voices coming from her employer' office and became curious when she heard her name. She walked to the door when she looked at Benjamin Trask and he was talking to a stern looking man, who was standing in front of his desk.

"For the last time, I demand her resignation!" the man shouted and Benjamin leaned his lower arms on the desk.

"You seriously can't blame her for what your son-in-law did," Benjamin said and Devon frowned.

"Hello," she said, walking in the office as Colonel Timothy and Jane Dewar turned to look at her and she saw Alicia sitting on the leather couch to her right.

"_You_!" Colonel Dewar growled as he stormed toward her and Devon placed her shoulders back while she gave him a blank look. "This is all your doing!"

"What is going on?" Devon asked, ignoring him and looked at Benjamin.

"It appears Mister Freshwell did a runner," Benjamin said and her eyes widened.

"He left the country!?"

"Yes."

"Do the police know where he went?"

"Not yet, but they're checking the airports, train stations and the tube stations."

"But he's on the No Flight list."

"Which means he had to change his appearance and is using false identification."

"He wouldn't have done this if you hadn't been hounding us!" Alicia said, glaring at Devon and Devon arched her eyebrows up.

"Well, we wouldn't have been hounding you if you hadn't been harming an innocent child," she said and Alicia glared at her.

"Are you going to allow her to talk to my daughter like this?!" Colonel Dewar demanded.

"Yes, I am," Benjamin said.

"How dare you! I am going to have this agency shut down and…!"

"Timothy, please, remember your blood pressure," Jane said and he sighed, snorting a breath of air. "What will they do once they find Rupert?"

"He will be arrested, brought back here and placed in prison until the trial," Benjamin said and she nodded. He looked at Devon when he nodded and she turned, walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. She looked at the envelope when she started walking faster and the sounds of her heels clicking on the tile flooring echoed down the hallway.

"Open," Alec said while sitting on Will's lap and Will opened his mouth so Alec could feed him small bites of the pancake. Both of them had spots of maple syrup on their shirts and faces as they smiled at each other, but neither of them noticed Nathan using the video camera to film what they were doing.

"Do you need a drink of milk?" Louisa asked and Will barely nodded his head. She handed Alec the glass as he held the glass in both hands and Louisa slid the end of the straw in Will's mouth. Will took a few sips of milk then she moved the straw away and Alec smiled.

"Do you want more?" Alec asked, looking at the pancakes sitting on the plate.

"No thank you. You can finish them," Will said and Alec poked the pancake bites with the fork, nearly stuffing all of them in his mouth.

"Not that much," Louisa said with a smile and Alec giggled. The buzz from the intercom caused Will to flick the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair and Nathan got up, walking to the intercom.

"Hello?" Nathan asked, letting go of the button.

"Has my son woken up yet?" Camilla asked.

"Yes, Mother, I'm awake," Will said.

"Ah, well, I just want you to know Miss Sharpe has arrived," she said and they looked at each other.

"We'll be there as soon as we finish breakfast," Louisa said.

"Alright," Camilla said and Nathan walked to the table.

"Which one do you want to clean off?" Nathan asked, looking at Will and Alec.

"You take the big kid and I'll take the little one," Louisa teased while Will and Alec arched an eyebrow while scowling and both Louisa and Nathan laughed.

Devon sat on the couch while she watched Will, Nathan, Louisa and Alec came in the room and she placed her hands on her lap.

"Hello," Devon said as Will parked the wheelchair next to the couch and Louisa sat next to Camilla.

"Good morning," Louisa said.

"Hello," Will said as Alec gave her a little wave.

"Good morning," Nathan said.

"How did things go last night?" Devon asked, looking at Alec.

"Things went very well," Louisa said.

"We had pizza!" Alec said as he looked up at Will.

"Yes, we had pizza for dinner," Will said.

"Well, we had pizza. You had a salad," Nathan said.

"That's because we had pepperoni on the pizza," Louisa said.

"That's bad," Alec said, lightly poking Will in the stomach.

"Right, pepperoni isn't good for my stomach," Will said

"Anything else?" Devon asked, trying hard not to smile.

"We were able to talk Alec into taking a shower before bedtime," Louisa said.

"He didn't want a bath?"

"Baths are for babies," Alec said with a smug look.

"I see," she said then looked at Louisa. "How did that go?"

"It went very well once we convinced him the water wasn't hot," Louisa said.

"Why would that matter?" Nathan asked.

"I'll tell you later," Louisa said and he nodded.

"How did he sleep?" Devon asked.

"He slept fine," Will said. "I, on the other hand, had a problem."

"What sort of problem?" Camilla asked as she gave him a worried look.

"It appears my Daddy Radar kicked in and I couldn't sleep."

"What is Daddy Radar?" Devon asked and Louisa explained what it was, making her smile. "Did you finally fall asleep?"

"Yes," Will said with a small nod.

"Well, I guess we better get to why I am here," Devon said as she removed the envelope from her purse and Louisa saw the look in Will's eyes. She knew he was tensing up as she reached over and placed her hand on top of his hand. Devon removed the piece of paper as she looked at the results, but her face was blank.

"Miss Sharpe?" Camilla asked and Devon placed the piece of paper down.

"It appears Mister Freshwell wasn't lying."

"He wasn't?" Will asked, feeling a little breathless. Louisa looked at Will when she got up and lightly kissed his cheek. She picked Alec off his lap when she hugged Alec and Alec gave her a puzzled look.

"Congratulations," Devon said, but Will remained silent and Nathan quickly checked his vitals. "Is he alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine," Will said while a large smile caused the dimples to leave large dents in his cheeks and he glanced up at Louisa and Alec.

"I guess the next thing we have to discuss is what you want to do. Do you want to keep Alec?"

"That's a stupid question," Will muttered and Louisa lightly tapped her fingers on the back of his head.

"Be nice," Louisa whispered and he arched his eyebrows up while slightly widened his eyes.

"Yes, I want to keep Alec."

"I can stay?" Alec asked, looking at Louisa.

"Yes, you get to stay with us," she said and Alec smiled. Louisa placed Alec down on his feet when Alec went to Devon and held his arms up. Devon picked him off the floor as he gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. She smiled as he got off her lap and walked back to Will and Louisa placed him on Will's lap.

"Well, the next thing we need to do is figure out what is a good time for my weekly visits," Devon said.

"You want to be our caseworker?" Louisa asked.

"Yes."

"Will's appointment schedule is back at the annex. I can show you if you'd like to follow me," Nathan said while Devon stood up and followed him out of the room. She noticed how far from the house the annex was as she frowned and Nathan opened the sliding doors. They headed for the kitchen when she looked at the breakfast dishes, silverware and glasses sitting on the table and she smiled. "Sorry about the mess."

"That's alright," she said, looking at the remains of the pancake breakfast. "Mister Traynor can eat pancakes?"

"He can eat nearly anything as long as it's not too spicy or too binding," Nathan said when he walked to the refrigerator door and she followed him. "Now, this is his schedule."

Devon looked at the calendar when she saw Will didn't have any appointments on Fridays then looked at Nathan.

"Fridays look good," she said and he looked at the calendar.

"Do you have a specific time you want to drop by?"

"I can come around two."

"Ah, no, that's naptime."

"For Mister Traynor or for Alec?" she asked and he smiled.

"Both. How about coming around four? It's a bit late, but Lou would be home then."

"That'll be fine," Devon said as she removed her phone, put the time on the calendar, put the phone away and they left the room.

"Well, I guess I better go get some of William's clothes and toys out of the attic," Camilla said with a small grin.

"Mother….," Will said, glaring at her.

"I know you would want to buy him new clothes and toys, but why bother when we have perfectly good ones?" Camilla asked as she stood up and headed for the stairs. They watched her going upstairs when Louisa looked at Will and he had his head against the headrest.

"Are you ok?" Louisa asked, lightly carding the top of his head.

"Yes, I'm fine." Will said then looked at Alec. "Anyone want to go watch cartoons?"

"Yes!" Alec said as he sat up straighter.

"I'll have to pass. I have a lecture to go to."

"Oh, Poor Lou," Will teased with a pout and Louisa laughed, rolling her eyes. Louisa followed him as Will steered the wheelchair out of the room and Alec leaned back against his chest.

Camilla watched them leaving when she removed the phone from her suit jacket pocket and she looked at the screen. She pushed the buttons then held the phone to her right ear and tapped her fingernails on the railing.

"This is Doctor Samuel Walsh's office," Sam said.

"This is Judge Traynor," Camilla said.

"Hello, Milady. How may I help you?"

"You recently did a paternity test for a Miss Devon Sharpe."

Camilla has seen Sam's name and phone number on the top of the paternity test and she folded her arm across her stomach.

"Yes, I did."

"Is the information one hundred percent accurate?"

"I assure you it is."

"And I have your word you will not say anything about the results?"

"No offense, Auntie, but do you think I'm_ that_ stupid?!" Sam asked as he sighed and Camilla smiled. She knew her sister's step-son was an honest young man as well as reliable and she softly laughed, shaking her head. "Anyway, you should have seen my face when I found out the father was Will. How is he handling it?"

"He is handling it very well."

"Still can't believe he had a baby with…_her_."

Sam, like most of the family, did not like Alicia and Camilla sighed, thinking about how things would have been different if Will had known about Alicia having his child.

"I can't believe it either."

"Has Will met him?"

"Yes."

"Is he going to keep him?"

"Yes."

"Uh, if you don't mind me asking, how is Will going to be able to take care of him?"

"He has a companion who's willing to take care of both of them."

"Do you trust this person?"

"Considering how much she's helped him accept his condition, I trust her completely."

"What about _her_? Does she know where his son is?"

"No, and we're going to keep it that way."

"You do know she and her husband are under investigation for child abuse and neglect, don't you?" Sam asked and Camilla sighed, pinching her eyes closed.

"Yes, I do. As for your next question, I am quite certain I can handle things if she or her parents find out or gets too demanding," she said and he heard the anger in her voice.

"Well, tell my cousin to call me if he needs some parenting advice."

"I will. Thank you, Samuel."

"You're welcome," Sam said then ended the call and Camilla smiled, placing the phone back in her suit jacket pocket.

_**A/N: Hope you liked the little surprise about Sam. And please review.**_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Louisa watched Will, Nathan and Alec playing with Will's die cast metal cars when her phone buzzed and she picked the phone up, looking at the screen. The photograph of Treena and Thomas smiled at her when she pushed the button and looked at the text.

_**Hey!**_

_**Hi.**_

_**How're things going?**_

She wasn't sure if Will would want her to tell Treena about Alec as she sighed and Will noticed the look on her face. He flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair came closer and he gave her a puzzled look.

"Is everything alright, Clark?" he asked.

"Treena wants to know how things are going," she said.

"Tell her things are fine."

"Can I tell her about Alec?"

"Yes," he said with barely a nod and she looked at the screen.

_**Things are ok.**_

_**Just ok?**_

_**Yes.**_

_**Is Will alright?**_

_**Yes.**_

_**Are you alright?**_

_**Yes.**_

_**What's wrong?**_

_**What makes you think something's wrong?**_

_**Lou!**_

_**We just found out something about Will's ex-girlfriend.**_

_**Did she get pregnant at some point and he's the father?**_

She knew Treena was kidding as she sighed and typed on the keyboard.

_**Yes.**_

The phone started ringing as she pushed the button and lightly carded the side of Will's head.

"Are you kidding me?!" Treena asked and Louisa held the phone away from her right ear.

"No, I am not kidding," Louisa said and placed her hand on Will's shoulder.

"When did this happen?"

"It happened four years ago."

"Shit. Is he sure the kid's his?"

"Yes."

"But….?"

"But what?"

"Come on, Lou. There's more to this story than you're telling me."

Louisa looked at Will when he saw the concern in her eyes and barely nodded his head for her to continue.

"She was sleeping around with his best friend around the time she got pregnant."

"Then how does he know for sure it's his?"

"Will had a paternity test done."

"Oh," Treena said and Louisa saw how upset Will was getting. She patted the top of Will's head when she headed for the kitchen, walked to the counter and went to sit on the top of the counter. "Lou?"

"I'm still here," Louisa said as she looked at Will sitting in the doorway and he saw the concern in his eyes.

"How did Will find out he's a dad?"

"His best friend told him."

"Why wait until now to tell him?"

"He said she'd ruin his life or terminate the pregnancy if he said anything."

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah."

"So, was it a boy or a girl?"

"It's a boy," Louisa said with a smile. "His name is Alec."

"I bet he looks like his daddy."

"He does."

"Have they met?"

"Yes."

"How is Will handling things?"

"He was really upset at first, but now he's fine."

"Is Alec at the annex?"

"Yes," she said and told Treena what was going on.

"Bloody hell," Treena said then sighed. "Is Will going to fight for custody?"

"Yeah, he is, but we're going to wait until we get married first," she said and watched Will go back to Nathan and Alec.

"Are you sure you're up to this? He's not…"

"He is _Will's _son, Tree. Maybe the only child he's ever going to have," she said with a slight growl.

"I get that. Just hope you know what you're getting into."

"I already know how to handle a kid."

"Are you talking about from being around Tommy or from being around Will?" Treena asked and Louis broke out laughing.

"Tree!"

"Sorry," Treena said and she could picture her rolling her eyes. "Anyway, Mum is going to freak when she finds out she's going to have another grandson."

"How should I tell her?"

"You better think of something fast. She wants you and Will to come for dinner tonight."

"Great," Louisa said in a soft voice when she saw Will coming into the kitchen and parked the wheelchair near the counter.

"What's wrong?" Will asked. He watched her get off the counter then sit on his lap and slid her arm around his shoulder.

"My mum wants us to come to dinner tonight."

"Should we bring Alec?"

"We have to. I know your mother won't mind babysitting, but I don't think Alec would like the idea of us leaving him."

"Lou?" Treena asked.

"Tell Mum we'll be there."

"Dinner's at six," Treena said as she ended the call then Louisa pushed the button, looked at Will and he gave her a small smile.

"It's going to be alright, Clark," he said, but a part of her wasn't sure. She nodded then placed her head against his and sighed.

The van moved down the street when Louisa saw Josie standing at the curb and was waving.

"Right, how do you want to do this?" Louisa asked as she glanced into the rearview mirror and Will leaned his head back against the headrest.

"I want to go first," Will said as the van stopped at the curb and Louisa opened the door.

"Hello, Love," Josie said as they hugged and she looked at the van. "Need any help?"

"No," Louisa said as Josie followed her to the back of the van and Louisa opened the doors. She pushed the button as the small lift lowered the wheelchair to the street and Josie noticed the look in Will's eyes.

"Hello, Josie," Will said then moved the joystick and the wheelchair moved off the small lift.

"Is there something wrong?" Josie asked. Treena had told her Louisa and Will had something to tell them as Josie watched Louisa closed the doors and headed around the other side of the van.

"May we go inside?" Will asked and Josie nodded. She followed him down the front walk then up the ramp when Will saw Treena in the doorway to the front room and she nodded her head toward him. She moved back so Will could go in the room and Josie gave Treena a puzzled look. Will stopped the wheelchair at the center of the room while Treena used the remote to turn the television off and Bernard and Granddad looked at her then at Will.

"What's going on?" Bernard asked while Josie sat next to him and Will looked at both of them.

"I asked Louisa to allow me to talk with all of you before she came in because I have something to say," Will said and Josie balled her fingers into fists on her knees.

"Does this have to do with the wedding?"

"No, it has to do with me," he said and Josie saw the seriousness in his eyes. "You see, before I met your daughter, I had a girlfriend. Her name is Alicia. We were together on and off for seven years, but, after I had my accident, I decided it would be best if we ended our relationship."

"It's understandable," Bernard said with a slight nod

"What I didn't know was something had happened and that something would have prevented me from ending things with her."

"What happened?" Josie asked.

"She… She had gotten pregnant," Will said and saw the shocked look on Josie and Bernard's faces.

"Are you the father?" Bernard asked.

"Yes, but, at the time, she was also sleeping with my best friend."

"Does he know about the baby?" Josie asked.

"Yes."

"Does he know you're the father?" Bernard asked.

"Yes, he found out after he had a paternity test done."

"If he was your best friend, why didn't he tell you?" Treena asked.

"Alice threatened to ruin him if he told me."

"That bitch," Josie said, thumping her fist on her thigh.

"How did you finally find out?" Bernard asked.

"He recently sent me a letter, the paternity test and some other information," Will said.

"I hope you are going to have another test done," Josie said.

"I already have. The results match."

"What made the bugger finally decide to tell you?" Bernard asked.

"He couldn't stand living a lie anymore. That and he and Alicia are being investigated for child abuse."

"Oh my God!" Josie gasped.

"So, do you have a son or a daughter?" Bernard asked with a grin.

"I have a son," Will said with a small smile.

"Where is he?" Josie asked.

"Louisa has him," Will said and Josie got up then walked to the doorway. Louisa stood in the hallway with Alec in her arms and Josie walked to them.

"Oh, he looks just like Will," Josie said with a smile.

"He does," Louisa said as she looked at Alec and he looked at the framed family photos then at Josie

"Hello," Alec said with a little wave.

"Hello, Little Love," Josie said then looked at Louisa, smiled and shook her head. "And here we thought something horrible had happened with how Treena was acting."

"You're alright with this?" Louisa asked.

"Of course, we are," Josie said as they walked to the doorway and went in the room. Bernard smiled when he stood up then walked to Louisa and Alec placed his cheek against Louisa's shoulder.

"Hello," Bernard said and Alec gave him a little wave. A sharp cry made them look up when Treena got up and headed for the hallway.

"Sorry," Treena said while going by them and went upstairs. Louisa walked to Will when she placed Alec on Will's lap and moved Will's arms so he was holding Alec.

"Well, I better go check on dinner," Josie said when she left the room and Bernard and Louisa went to sit on the couch. Will looked at Granddad and Granddad gave him grin and a nod and Bernard turned the television back on. Treena came down the stairs with Thomas in her arms when she came in the room and Will moved the joystick to turn the wheelchair around.

"Will!" Thomas said with a grin then looked at Alec and frowned. "Who?!"

"This is Will's son, Alec," Louisa said as Treena walked to the wheelchair and Alec looked at Thomas.

"Want to say hello to Alec?" Treena asked.

"No!" Thomas said then looked away.

"Want to say hello to Thomas?" Will asked.

"No," Alec said with a shake of his head and leaned against Will's chest.

"Oh boy," Bernard sighed.

"It's ok," Louisa said as she got up, took Thomas in her arms and hugged him. Thomas looked at Will as Will smiled and Thomas smiled back.

"Will," Thomas said as he pointed to him and Louisa walked to the wheelchair.

"Is it ok for Tommy to sit on Will's lap?" she asked and Alec looked at Will then at Thomas.

"Yes," Alec said with a nod and careful moved over so Louisa could put Thomas on Will's lap. She moved Will's arm so he was holding both boys and Will gave her a wink.

"Dinner's ready!" Josie said as Thomas and Alec looked at the control panel then at Will and Wil barely shook his head while looking at Treena and Louisa.

"Is it alright if Tommy steered the wheelchair into the dining room?" Will asked.

"Yes," Alec said and Thomas smiled. Louisa switched them so Thomas was sitting near the control panel and Thomas flicked the joystick. Will glanced up at Louisa while they left the room then down the hallway and went into the dining room. Josie smiled as the wheelchair came to a stop at the highchair and Treena lifted Thomas off Will's lap.

"No," Thomas said as Treena tried to put him in the highchair and started wiggling in her arms.

"Tommo, you have to sit in the highchair," Treena said.

"Alec," he said as he pointed to Alec after Will had moved the wheelchair to his usual spot and pushed the button to raise the seat up.

"Hold on," Louisa said when she left the room then came back with a red and green child's booster seat. She placed the booster seat on the chair next to her chair then picked Alec off of Will's lap and placed Alec on the booster seat.

"Where did you get that?" Josie asked.

"It used to be mine," Will said.

"Are you going to sit down now?" Treena asked, looking at Thomas and he nodded. Treena placed Thomas in the highchair then sat down and Josie placed the bib around Thomas' neck. She went back into the kitchen then served dinner, sat down and looked at Louisa, Alec and Will.

"Do you need some help feeding them?" Josie asked.

"No," Louisa said when she removed the small spoon and fork from the bag in the back of the wheelchair then placed them on the table and Alec smiled at her. Thomas looked at Treena then at the fork on the table and pointed.

"Me," Thomas said. Josie got up when she went into the kitchen and came back with a toddler spoon and fork. She placed them on the tray while Thomas smiled up at her and she lightly patted the top of his head. Treena showed him how to use the fork as he started eating and Will gave him a wink then opened his mouth as Louisa fed him a piece of chicken.

"Lou, Treena, you have to come see this," Bernard said while they helped Josie wash up the dishes then followed him out of the room and they went in the other room. Granddad and Will were watching the news while Thomas and Alec were playing with Thomas' toys and both boys were giggling. Louisa walked to the wheelchair when she slid her arms around Will's shoulders and he glanced at her.

"How did that happen?" she asked and Will looked at Alec and Thomas.

"Thomas came over and asked Alec if he wanted to play with him," Will said as she smiled and he made a little moan.

"Are you alright?"

"I am getting sleepy," he said and she softly moved her fingers over his cheek. His skin wasn't hot, but he did close his eyes and a small smile spread across his face. "That feels nice."

"Behave," she whispered and she felt the heat of the blush on her cheeks.

"Will," Alec said, holding up a die cast metal car and Will opened his eyes. "Come play with us."

"No!" Thomas said.

"Yes!" Alec said, crossing his arms over his chest and glared at him.

"Alright, you two, that's enough," Will said while flicking the joystick to make the wheelchair go toward them and Alec handed him the blue die cast metal car. Louisa walked closer when she knelt near the wheelchair and carefully turned Will's right hand and helped him move the die cast metal car up and down his thigh.

"Beep-beep," Alec said as he moved the die cast metal car toward Will's car and Will smiled.

"Beep-beep," Will said and Thomas got up, walking to the wheelchair,

"Beep-beep," Thomas said as he moved the die cast metal car toward Will's car and giggled.

Louisa stood up as she wiped the tears from her eyes then looked to her left and saw Treena using her phone to film Will playing with Alec and Thomas.

The van came to a stop when the door opened and Camilla came out of the annex. She walked to the van while Louisa got out then walked to the back of the van and opened the doors.

"How did it go?" Camilla asked.

"A lot better than I thought it would," Louisa said when she pushed the buttons and the small lift lowered the wheelchair to the ground. Will gave his mother a sleepy smile while Alec slept snuggled against him and Camilla was in awe by how cute they looked.

"I didn't want to wake him," Will said in a soft voice as he flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair headed for the door. Camilla followed them inside as she closed the door and they headed for the bedroom. Will parked the wheelchair near the bed while Louisa lifted Alec off his lap and Alec made a little moan, but he didn't wake up.

"We're home," Louisa said as Alec slightly opened his eyes and looked at her. "Do you have to go potty?"

Alec nodded and she carried him into the bathroom while Camilla walked to the wheelchair then placed her hand on Will's left shoulder. He glanced up at her when he made a little moan and she looked toward the bathroom.

"Louisa, come quickly! Something is wrong with William!" she said.

"Nothing's wrong, Mother. I was yawning," Will said with a small smile.

"Oh."

"If you can get Alec to bed, I'll take care of Will," Louisa said after coming out of the bathroom and Alec had his head on her shoulder. Nodding, Camilla held her arms out as Louisa handed him to her then put the wheelchair on manual and pushed the wheelchair out of the room.

Will was lying under the bedding while Louisa wrote the information in his medical file then placed the medical equipment away and he made a soft moan.

"Sorry," he said and she placed the medical file in the drawer. Camilla knocked on the doorframe while walking in the room and Louisa turned to look at her.

"Is Alec asleep?" Louisa asked, watching Camilla walking to the bed.

"He was out just as I finished tucking him in," Camilla said.

"Thank you for doing that for me."

"It was my pleasure," she said with a nod then saw Will's eyelids lowering. "Well, I guess I better go."

"Aren't you going to tuck _me_ in?" Will asked with a childlike tone to his voice and Louisa cupped her mouth with her hand. Smiling, Camilla moved the bedding up when she tucked the bedding around him, leaned over and kissed the top of his head.

"Goodnight," she said when she walked to the door, looked back at them, smiled and walked down the hallway. "I'll turn the lights off before I leave."

"Thank you," Louisa said then looked at Will and his eyes were closing. She went into the bathroom then came out a few minutes later wearing one of Will's white shirts and white pajamas shorts and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked, watching her turn to look at him.

"I'm going to go sleep on the couch."

"Why?"

"Well, your mother went to all that trouble to tuck you in….," she said and he arched an eyebrow as he gave her an annoyed look.

"Clark….," he said as she walked to the bed, moved the bedding back, turned the light off, crawled under the bedding and snuggled next to him. She kissed his cheek as she moved the bedding back up then they closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep.

_Sydney, Australia_

Rupert sat on the barstool as he sipped on a beer and pushed the bush hat out of his eyes.

He was amazed when one of his former clients agreed to give him a job and he had found a cheap flat to live in until he found something better.

He placed the glass on the bar when he felt like someone was watching him and he turned around, looking at the doorway.

"Damn," he whispered when he saw two police constables talking with the bar owner then he slowly got up and headed for where the bathrooms were. He walked down the small hallway when he opened the fire exit door and slid outside. Pushing the bush hat down to cover his eyes, he headed for the alleyway, but didn't see the man following him and jumped when he felt a large hand on his right shoulder and his heart slammed in his chest.

"Going somewhere, Mate?" the man asked as Rupert turned and looked at him. The man was taller than he was as well as stronger and he had brown hair and eyes.

"Just going home," he said, but the man didn't let go of his shoulder and Rupert tried hard not to look scared.

"I don't think so," the man said as the two police constables came out into the alleyway and the man glanced at them. "Told you he'd try to slip out the back."

"Who are you?" Rupert asked and the man smiled.

"I'm DI Hills," DI Nicholas Hills said with a small nod as he reached into his jeans pocket and removed the leather wallet, showing Rupert his identification and badge.

"How…? How did you find me?"

"Your passport and credit card were perfect, but you dying your hair and wearing contacts was a really sloppy disguise. Didn't take long for Scotland Yard to find you after checking the CCTV footage at Heathrow. Once they found out where you were heading, it didn't take long to get a warrant for your arrest. It was just pure luck that one of my men was in the pub when you came in. He called the precinct and here we are."

Rupert sighed as he leaned against the wall and Nicholas walked closer, removing the handcuffs from his belt holder. Nicholas read him his rights while placing the handcuffs around Rupert's wrists then they headed for the police car and Rupert looked out the window as the police car headed down the street.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The freezing rain tacked at the glass while Will sat at the window and looked out to the garden. The silence of the annex during Alec' naptime and Louisa being at a lecture caused his depression to return and he leaned his head back against the headrest.

"Want me to put on a DVD for you, Mate?" Nathan asked after he had walked closer and knelt next to the wheelchair.

"No," Will said and Nathan stood up.

"I need to move you back a bit or you might…"

"I know what will happen," he snapped, flicked the joystick with his thumb and the wheelchair backed up. Nathan watched him head for the den as he followed and Will parked the wheelchair in front of the desk. "I'm sorry."

"I'm used to it," Nathan said while walking to the couch and sat down. "Mind telling me what's wrong?"

"I'm just in one of my moods."

"Have you called your sister and told her about Alec?" he asked, trying to get his mind off what was bothering him and Will turned the wheelchair to face him.

"Yes. She wants to come see him."

"What about your dad? Have you told him?"

"No," Will said while barely shaking his head when Alec appeared in the doorway and was wearing underpants with cartoon dinosaurs on them and a blue flannel pajamas top. "Hello."

"Hi," Alec said as he walked to the wheelchair and Nathan got up to put Alec on Will's lap. Alec carefully snuggled against Will when he placed his head against Will's chest and Will smiled, glancing down at him.

"Did you have a good kip?" Nathan asked and Alec nodded.

"Where's Lou?"

"She's still at school," Will said.

"Can we go watch cartoons?" he asked, looking up at Will.

"Sure, but let's get you dressed. It's a little chilly in here," Nathan said as Will flicked the joystick with his finger and they headed for the bedroom.

"I'm home!" Louisa said as she closed the door then took her coat, scarf and wool hat off, placed them on the pegs near the door and Alec came running out of the kitchen. Nathan had helped him get on a pair of jeans, a green jumper, white socks and trainers and Louisa knelt down, holding her arms out. Alec ran into her arms when she stood up, wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug. "Were you a good boy?"

"Yeah!" Alec said while Will came out of the kitchen and Louisa noticed the blue apron he was wearing over his jeans and jumper.

"Uh…"

"Welcome home," Will said as the wheelchair came to a stop and she admitted he looked adorable.

"What's with the apron?" she asked, placing Alec on his lap.

"We're making dinner."

"You, Nathan and Alec are making dinner?"

"No," he said, elongating the "o". "Alec, my mother and I are making dinner."

"Your mother…?"

"She does know how to cook, Clark," Will said with a smug look and Louisa lightly laughed. "So, why don't you go get changed then you can come help us."

"Yes, Sir," Louisa said as she saluted him while rolling her eyes and headed for the bedroom. After changing into a green jumper and jeans, she came into the kitchen to see Camilla near the stove and Will and Alec sitting near the kitchen island.

"Hello, Dear," Camilla said.

"Hello," Louisa said, walking to the wheelchair and placed her hand on Will's right shoulder. "What are we having for dinner?"

"We are having roast beef, oven roasted potatoes and carrots."

"Did you help?" Louisa asked, looking at Alec.

"He helped me season the potatoes."

"I just watched," Will said and Louisa carded the back of his head.

"No, you closed the oven door," Camila corrected, pointing the slotted spoon at him. Louisa softly laughed when the timer went off and Camilla carefully opened the oven door. "Now go set the table."

After the table was set, the roast beef was cut, the food was placed on the plates and Alec was sitting in the booster seat, Louisa told them about her classes and Will and Camilla felt so proud of her.

"Mother, I was wondering if you had told Father about Alec," Will said after Louisa helped him drink some water and Camilla placed her fork down.

"I haven't really thought about it," Camilla said, looking at Alec.

"He is his grandson."

"Yes, he is, but…," Camila said when a sense of guilt moved through her and she leaned back in the chair. "Do you want me to tell him?"

"Yes," Will said with a small nod.

"I will tell him tomorrow," she said then went back to eating her meal. Will glanced at Louisa as she lightly shrugged and Will half lowered his eyelids.

"Will," Alec said as he looked at his son and Alec smiled. Seeing Alec smile made him feel better as he smiled then crossed his eye, sticking out his tongue, and Alec giggled.

"William, you know that is not proper dinner table behavior," Camilla said, glancing at him then at Alec.

"Sorry," Will said.

"Sorry." Alec said and Camilla nodded, but covered her amusement behind her wine glass.

"What is this, Clark?" Will asked as she came in the bedroom and she saw a notepad sitting on his lap.

"Where did you find that?" she asked as she walked to the bed and sat next to him.

"Nathan found it in the drawer where he keeps my medical equipment."

"Oh, I thought I put it in the other drawer," she said and moved closer. She picked up the notepad as he looked at the notes she had jotted down and the date of her birthday was circled in red with a question mark next to it.

"Why is that circled in red?"

"It's because I'm not sure about the date. I know we agreed on it, but, with your job, my classes and Alec, I don't think we have time."

"Which is why I thought getting married in August would be better."

"I'm starting to agree with you," she said while he looked at the list of honeymoon destinations when something clicked in his mind and he half closed his eyes.

"Did I ever tell you about this wedding I was in?"

"No."

"It was nine years ago. My friend, Logan, was getting married and his wedding was in Hawaii. The wedding was on the beach. The men were dressed in these white linen suits and the women were in these white linen dresses. They had crowns of flowers on their heads and we were wearing lei flower necklaces."

"Were you barefoot?"

"Yes," he said with a grin and the dimples made deep dents in his cheeks. Louisa looked at the notepad while strumming her fingers on the side and he wondered what she was thinking. "Clark?"

"Would you be really angry with me if I wanted to do something special for the wedding?"

"It would depend on what it is."

"I can't tell you. Not until I can figure out how to do it."

"This sounds like when you were planning an outing or a holiday."

"And you like it when I do that, right?"

"Yes, I do," he said with a slightly smug look and she kissed his lips. He sighed through his nose as thoughts of what he wanted to do to her moved across his mind and he sighed again. She moved back while he looked at her with half closed eyes and she saw the dreamy look on his face.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you looking like that?"

"I'm just thinking about what I want to do to you right now," he said and she felt the heat of the blush moving across her cheeks.

"Do you want me to ask Nathan to call your specialist and discuss options for how we can be intimate with each other?"

"Yes," he said then made a little moan and half closed his eyes. Placing the notepad in the night table drawer, she got out of bed then moved the blankets up when she went into the bathroom and came out wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of blue flannel pajamas bottoms. She crawled under the covers as she turned the lights off, snuggled next to him and placed her head against his shoulder. He glanced at her as he smiled and she slid her hand under the covers. She unbuttoned two buttons of the white flannel pajamas top he was wearing when she slid her hand across his chest and moved her fingers through the soft chest hair. Even though he couldn't feel what she was doing, his mind started to drift as his eyes closed and he made a content sigh. His soft even breathing told her he was asleep while she watched him sleep and smiled, placing the palm of her hand against the spot over his heart.

A light snow fell as Louisa opened the door to the castle and Will moved the wheelchair inside. She knew he didn't like the idea of being bundled up in layers, or wearing a flannel blanket over his waist, legs and feet, but she did admit he looked cute wearing a red woolen knit cap under the hood of the white parka. Alec was dressed the same as Will and she moved the parka hoods down and took the woolen knit caps off their head, smoothing their hair down.

"Hello, you three!" Bernard said as he walked closer. "What brings you here?"

"My father called and said he wanted to see us," Will said and Alec looked at Louisa.

"I want down," Alec said.

"What's the special word?" Louisa said and Bernard smiled.

"Please."

"I'll go tell your father you're here," Bernard said as he walked away and Louisa carefully lifted Alec off Will's lap and placed Alec to stand next to the wheelchair. He placed his hand on Will's knee as he looked around and Will smiled at Louisa. Alec started walking toward the suits of armor standing in front of the wall while Will moved the joystick and Louisa followed behind him. Alec looked up at the armor then walked to the other suit of armor, but he didn't notice Louisa was using her phone to film him and she smiled. Will flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair moved to catch up with them and they went into the next room. Will noticed they were in the armory as he smiled and stopped the wheelchair in front of the swords he had accidentally removed from the wall when he was a kid.

"What are you looking at?" Louisa asked as she led Alec to the wheelchair and Will glanced at her then at the swords. She looked up at the swords when she remembered the story, smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I want to see," Alec said as he held his arms up and Louisa lifted him off the floor.

"Want to tell him the story about those swords?!" she asked and Will rolled his eyes.

"Alec," Will said and Alec looked at him. "Did you know I was able to play in this castle?"

"No," Alec said with a shake of his head.

"I was. And that was because my family owns it," he said and Alec' eyes widened. "Now, one day, I was bored and decided I wanted to pretend I was a knight. So, I came in here, saw the swords and climbed up to take one of them. What I didn't know was the swords were stuck together and both of the swords fell onto the floor after I tried to pull them apart."

"Uh-oh."

"Can you guess what happened next?" he asked with wide eyes.

"You got caught while trying to find a place to hide them," Louisa said and Will gave her a smile.

"That was silly," Alec said then giggled.

The sound of footsteps coming closer made Will flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around and Steven walked toward them. As he came closer, he noticed how much Alec looked like Will and the anger he felt toward Alicia boiled in his chest.

"Hello," Steven said, as he stopped in front of the wheelchair and placed his hands behind his back.

"Hello," Will said.

"Alec, can you say hello to Mister Traynor?" Louisa asked and Alec shook his head, placing his cheek against her shoulder.

"That's alright," Steven said and looked at Will. "He looks just like you."

"I've noticed," Will said while Louisa placed Alec on Will's lap and moved his arms so he was holding Alec.

"Would you like Mister Traynor show us the castle?" Louisa asked as she looked at Alec and Alec nodded. Smiling, Steven pointed with his hand toward the doorway then they left the room. While they were walking down the hallway, Louisa saw the coffee shop as she thought back to the Buttered Bun and Will noticed the sadness in her eyes.

"Lou!" made her stop when she saw Nina and Cherie as they ran toward her and her grin nearly cut her face in half. They hugged and giggled as Will glanced at his father and Mister Traynor gave him a small shrug. Louisa led Nina and Cherie toward them as she smiled and placed her hand on Will's shoulder.

"Nina, Cherie, I would like you to meet my fiancé, Will Traynor….," Louisa said and their eyes widened.

"You're getting married?!" Cherie gasped and Louisa showed them her engagement ring then smiled after they gave her a hug.

"Oh, before I forget, this is Will's father, Steven, and this is Alec," she said as they looked at Will then at the wheelchair and Will felt a lump in his throat. He knew they were feeling uncomfortable as he sighed and Louisa noticed he was getting upset.

"Lou," Nina said as Louisa walked to her and she moved closer, not taking her eyes off of Will. "Where did you find him?"

"Why?" Louisa asked.

"He's gorgeous," Nina whispered and Louisa laughed.

"Yeah, he is," she whispered and Nina smiled.

"Will," Cherie asked and he looked at her. "How did you and Lou meet?"

"My mother placed an advertisement on job websites for a companion for me and Louisa applied for the position," Will said.

"What does a companion do?" Nina asked, looking at Louisa.

"Mostly, I feed him, give him something to drink, shave him, brush his hair and teeth, put him to bed and make sure he doesn't get bored," Louisa said.

"Don't make it sound so boring, Clark," Will said while rolling his eyes. "You know I wouldn't do anything if you weren't there to give me a reason to get up in the morning."

"Aw….," both Cherie and Nina said as Louisa blushed and Steven smiled.

"Um, if you don't mind," Cherie said. "How did it happen?"

"How did I end up in this chair?" Will asked and she nodded. Louisa knew he didn't like talking about his accident as he sighed and Alec looked up at him.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Nina said.

"No, it's alright."

"Lou?" Alec asked and Louisa knelt down next to the wheelchair.

"Yes, Sweetie," Louisa said.

"I gotta go potty."

"You have to go potty?"

"Yeah."

"Excuse us," Louisa said as she stood up then picked Alec off Will's lap. They watched her head down the hallway then Will looked at Nina and Cherie.

"I was in an accident," Will said when he paused and pressed his lips into a thin line. "It was raining and I decided not to ride my motorbike to work."

"You had a motorbike!?" Nina asked and he barely nodded.

"I had gone down to the junction when I spotted a cab and headed across the street. I nearly got hit by cars a few times and was about to get in the cab when I heard this noise. Imagine my surprise when I turned and saw a man on a motorbike coming right at me. I didn't have enough time to move and the motorbike hit me."

"Shit," Nina said and Cherie nodded.

"When I woke up in the hospital a few weeks later, I found out I'm paralyzed from the upper chest down."

"What does that mean?" Cherie asked.

"It means I can move my head a little and move two fingers of my right hand, but that's it."

"What did you do before the accident?" Nina asked.

"I was a financial consultant," he said and the girls smiled.

"Wow," Nina said as she looked at her watch then at Cherie. "Shit, we have to go."

"Is it alright to give you a hug?" Cherie asked.

"Sure," Will said with a grin and she carefully slid her arms around his shoulders. He leaned his head against hers as she smiled, moved back and Nina came over to hug him.

"Tell Lou we'll call her later," Nina said as they walked away and Steven glanced down at Will.

"That went well," Steven said while Louisa and Alec came closer and she placed Alec on Will's lap.

"Where did Nina and Cherie go?" Louisa asked.

"They had to leave," Steven said.

"Oh," she said and Will noticed the hurt look in her eyes.

"Nina did say they'll call you later," Will said and she nodded.

"Shall we get going?" Steven asked and they headed down the hallway.

The cold air moved through them as Louisa watched Will move the wheelchair to the spot where they talked about Paris and Alec smiled as he looked at the view. She walked closer when she saw the hedge maze and the chill moving through her wasn't from the cold.

"Clark?" Will asked. She saw the concern in her eyes, but she didn't know how to tell him about what happened in the hedge maze and folded her arms around her stomach.

"I think we better go inside," she said and he barely nodded his head then followed her back to the castle. He wasn't sure what was wrong as he watched her walked faster and moved the joystick to make the wheelchair go faster.

Steven watched while Louisa got into the van and secured the wheelchair. She pushed the knit cap out of Will's eyes when she got out of the van and Steven adjusted his hold on Alec. She walked to Steven as Will noticed the sad look on his father's face and Louisa took Alec out of Steven's arms. Steven sighed while Louisa gently pushed the knit cap out of Alec' eyes and Alec placed his cheek against her shoulder.

"Alright, it's time to go. Say goodbye to Mister Traynor," Louisa said.

"Bye," Alec said as he gave Steven a little wave and Louisa swore she saw tears in the corners of Steven's eyes. Steven smiled as she walked to the passenger side door and Steven walked to the back of the van, looking at Will.

"Thank you," he said and Will barely nodded his head. Steven closed and locked the doors then stood back and the van started. He waved as the van moved away then he wiped his eyes with the handkerchief he got out of his suit jacket pocket and smiled.

"Well, how did it go?" Camilla's voice asked as Steven stood by the window and looked out at the castle grounds.

"It went very well," Steven said.

"Steven, is there something wrong?"

"Other than the fact I want to strangle the mother of my grandson, no."

"I feel the same way."

"Have you spoken with Miss Sharpe lately?"

"I have. She still can't tell me everything about the abuse case against Alicia and Rupert, but she is very impressed with how quickly Alec has adjusted to being with William and Louisa."

"They do look happy."

"Louisa did tell me something rather amusing the other day. Apparently, Alec decided to climb one of the smaller garden walls after they told him not to and almost scared her half to death when he nearly fell off."

"What happened afterwards?" Steven asked with a small smile.

"It was the first time they had to put him in a time out."

"I have a feeling that didn't go well."

"No, he didn't fuss, but William was very upset about it. According to Louisa, Alec climbed onto William's lap and told him not to be sad."

"He is such a sweet boy," Steven said with a sigh.

"Steven?"

"I'm sorry," he said then sat on the high back chair in front of his desk. "I just wish I could… I want to come home."

"You do?"

"Yes, but, like I told you before William announced his engagement, it's too late."

"I told you it wasn't."

"You also said you'd like to try marriage counseling, but I wasn't sure if I was ready."

"Are you ready now? I want an honest answer. Do you really want to work things out between us or do you want to do this because of our grandson?"

"I have to say both. I miss you, Cammie."

"Now there is a name I haven't heard in years," she said and he heard a small laugh in her voice.

"Do you miss me?"

"Yes. So, when do you want to start looking for a marriage counselor?"

"Is today good for you?" he asked and she laughed, making him smile.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The sliding doors slid open while Louisa walked in the room and closed the doors. She looked around the room when she frowned and placed the portfolio on the couch after hanging up her coat, hat and scarf and removing her boots.

"Hello?!" she called out.

"We're in here," Nathan called out and she walked down the hallway toward the therapy room. She stood against the doorframe as she looked at Will lying on his back and he was wearing a pair of grey track trousers and a white long sleeve t-shirt. His lower arms were folded over his stomach as he looked at the ceiling and Nathan was gently, but firmly stretching Will's right leg straight. Alec, dressed the same as Will, was sitting next to Will's right shoulder and was holding a small white towel in his hands.

"Lou!" Alec said as he got up then ran to her and she picked him up, holding him in her arms.

"Are you helping Nathan?" she asked and he nodded, nearly dropping the towel onto the floor.

"He's been a big help," Will said, watching her walk closer and she placed Alec down on the mat. She sat down next to Will's right shoulder while Alec sat on her lap and handed her the towel.

"Isn't it a little late to be doing physio?"

"We were going to do it earlier, but someone took a really long kip," Nathan said and Will sighed, rolling his eyes.

"I told you I didn't want to wake him up and went back to sleep," Will said and Alec looked up at Louisa.

"Did you take a kip with Will again?" she asked.

"Yeah!" Alec said with a big grin.

"I guess this means someone is going to want to stay up late tonight," Louisa said, tickling Alec' sides and he giggled. The buzzing from the intercom made Louisa place Alec next to Will when she got up, walked to the intercom and pushed the button. "Yes?"

"Sorry to disturb you, Dear, but Miss Sharpe is here," Camilla's voice said after Louisa had released the button and frowned.

"What is she doing here?" Nathan asked.

"Only one way to find out," Will said as Louisa nodded and pushed the button.

"Tell her to come to the annex," Louisa said as she let go of the button and looked at Will, Nathan and Alec.

Her high heels made soft clicking sounds as Devon moved along the walkway which separated the annex from the main house and she arched her collar up. She stopped at the sliding doors when she knocked on the door and Louisa opened the door on the left.

"Hello, Miss Clark," Devon said.

"Hello," Louisa said, standing back so she could enter the room then closed the sliding door.

"Where are Mister Traynor and Alec?"

"Right here," Will said while steering the wheelchair toward her and Alec was sitting on his lap. The wheelchair came to a stop as Will looked at her and Devon noticed the puzzled look in his eyes.

"Sorry to arrive unannounced, but I have a personal obligation on Friday and thought it was best to come today to check on how things are going," Devon said and Will barely nodded. "Mind me asking why you two are dressed like that?"

"I was in the middle of my daily physio and Alec was helping," Will said.

"What did he do?"

"I did this," Alec said, holding up the towel and Devon smiled.

"Though he wasn't too pleased when I had to move Will's arms up and over his head," Nathan said.

"That's understandable," Devon said with a small nod.

"Will," Alec said and Will glanced down at him.

"Yes?" Will asked.

"You're stinky," Alec said, waving his hand in front of his nose and Will's eyes widened while giving him a mock surprised look.

"I'm stinky?!"

"Yeah!"

"Do you think Will needs a shower?" Nathan asked and Alec looked up at him.

"Yeah!"

"Oh, alright," Will said with a sad look as Nathan put the wheelchair on manual and they headed for the main bedroom.

"Want some tea?" Louisa asked and Devon nodded. They headed for the kitchen as Devon looked at the photos of Alec, Alec and Will, Alec and Louisa and Alec, Will and Louisa sitting under the fruit magnets and she smiled.

"How are things going?" Devon asked after Louisa filled the tea kettle with water, placed the kettle on the burner and turned the burner on.

"Things are great. My mom found a baby school which was able to register Alec for the new semester and Alec had his first day on Monday," Louisa said, going to the cabinets and got two coffee mugs.

"Not to be rude, but are you sure he should go? Aren't you afraid he might get sick?"

"Are you talking about Alec or Will?" Louisa asked, sliding the journal to her then walked to the tin where she kept the tea. Devon looked at the cover of the journal when she picked up the journal and leaned against the side of the kitchen island.

"I'm talking about Mister Traynor."

"Well, Alec seems to be coming down with a cold, but, so far, they both seem fine."

"I did notice he sounded a little congested," Devon said, reading the recent entries and the whistle of the kettle filled the air. Louisa turned the burner off, poured the hot water into the coffee mugs then placed the tea in the hot water, picked up the coffee mugs and headed for the kitchen island.

"Nathan and I are keeping an eye on things. And they both know Will goes straight to the hospital if…"

"Lou!" Nathan shouted while they looked at each other then ran out of the kitchen after Devon placed the journal on the counter. They ran into the main bedroom then into the bathroom as Devon stood in the doorway after Louisa went in the bathroom and Louisa's eyes went wide.

"Oh," Devon said as she tried hard not to laugh and Louisa cupped her mouth with her hands.

"It's not that funny," Will said, sitting on the shower chair with the towel wrapped around his waist. He was soaking wet and Lou felt a warm blush moving across her cheeks from watching the soap bubbles slowly moving down his arms, chest and back. Nathan and Alec were also soaking wet and Nathan held the broken shower massage in his hands.

"What happened?" Louisa asked.

"This blood…," Nathan said then censored himself as he looked at Alec and sighed. "The shower massage exploded. If I hadn't caught it, the top of it would have hit Will in the head."

"I got wet, Lou," Alec said and Louisa turned to look at Devon.

"I need that," Louisa said as she pointed and Devon picked up the blue, terry cloth child's towel with a hood and held the towel up while Louisa undressed Alec. Kneeling, Louisa wrapped the towel around Alec as she moved the hood up and Alec moved closer for a hug. After hugging him, Louisa got up then led Alec out of the room and Devon looked from Will to Nathan, cleared her throat and looked at her feet.

"I'll… I'll…," she said then left the room and Will smiled at Nathan.

"What?" Nathan asked.

"Nothing," Will said and Nathan placed the shower massage on the shelf. A few minutes later Will was rinsed off, dried and redressed and they headed out of the bedroom. Louisa, Alec and Devon were sitting on the couch as they looked at Will and Nathan and Will stopped the wheelchair next to the couch. He saw the journal sitting on the coffee table as he glanced from Louisa to Devon and sighed. "Sorry about that."

"No, it's alright," Devon said. "I heard Alec started baby school the other day."

"Yes, he did."

"How was he around the other children?"

"He was a little shy at first then he just started interacting with them," Louisa said.

"And he likes going to school?"

"There was a sand table," Alec said with a grin and leaned back against Louisa.

"Yes, there was a sand and water table. I had a hard time getting him away from it," Louisa said.

"There was a climbing house."

"A what?" Devon asked.

"It's one of those plastic play houses were tunnels and things the kids can climb on."

"Would you like to see the videos?" Will asked and Devon nodded. Nathan went to get the laptop when he opened the top of the laptop, powered up the laptop then found the videos. He handed Devon the laptop as she looked at the videos and smiled. She handed Nathan the laptop when she looked at her watch and a sad look appeared on her face.

"Looks like I better be going," Devon said.

"Can't you stay for dinner?"

"Yes, please stay," Louisa said and Devon gave her a blank look. None of her other clients had ever asked her to stay. She knew they wanted her out of their homes as quickly as possible, but the rejection still hurt. She looked at them when she sat back down and Alec moved off of Louisa's lap to sit on her lap.

"Alright," Devon said as she smiled down at Alec and Alec smiled up at her.

"There. All done," Louisa said as she cleaned her fingers off with a small washcloth then buttoned the top of Alec' pajamas top. The doctor had told her to use some vapor rub ointment on Alec' chest, neck and back to help clear up the congestion and Alec scrunched up his nose while giving her an angry look.

"That's stinky," Alec said and she softly carded the top of his head.

"I know, but it will help you feel better," she said then got up, moved the blankets up and he yawned. She turned the humidifier on then picked up the small bottle of vapor rub, walked to the door, turned and watched him drift off to sleep. Smiling, she lightly patted the doorframe when she walked down the hallway and looked at Nathan examining Will. "How's he doing?"

"He's a little congested. I gave him some strong antibiotics and antihistamines," Nathan said while writing down the information in Will's medical file and Louisa walked to the bed. Will gave her a small smile while she sat down next to him and placed her hand on his chest.

"Is Alec alright?" Will asked.

"Yeah, he took his medicine and let me use this," Louisa said as she showed him the small bottle of vapor rub ointment and Will scrunched up his nose.

"I used to hate that stuff when I was a kid."

"Alec said it was stinky," she said and he smiled as she looked at Nathan. "Would it be ok to use this on Will?"

"Oh no you're not…!"

"Yeah, it's fine," Nathan said, putting the medical equipment away and Will glared at him.

"Whose side are you on, Mate?!" he asked with a shocked look and Nathan softly laughed.

"I'm on Lou's side," Nathan said and he headed for the door. After Nathan left the room and they heard the door close, Louisa looked at Will and he gave her an angry look.

"Don't even think it, Clark."

Louisa made a small smile as she lightly strummed her fingers on his chest and looked at the small bottle of vapor rub.

"I mean it," he said as she opened the top of his pajamas and gave him a blank look.

"Do you want to go to the hospital!?" she asked, arching her eyebrows up.

"No," he said, elongating the "o" and she wiggled the small bottle side to side. He looked at the ceiling for a few seconds, looked at her and smiled. "Alright. Go ahead."

She opened the lid when she slipped her fingers into the white ointment then smoothed the white ointment along his collar bones. His skin tingled from feeling her fingers moving while he swallowed the lump in his throat and she gave him a small smile. She placed more white ointment on her fingers then moved her fingers over his upper chest, through the soft chest hairs and down his sternum.

"Do you have any idea how badly I want to kiss you right now?" he said and she noticed his pupils were widening.

"Yes, but I don't think it's a good idea," she said, spreading some more of the ointment over his neck.

"Why? Afraid you'll get my cold?" he asked, arching his eyebrows up as he gave her a smug look.

Nodding, she finished applying the white ointment, used the small towel to wipe her fingers, placed the lid on the small bottle, buttoned the top of his pajamas and moved the blankets up. He watched her placing the small bottle on the night table, writing the information down in his medical file then went to get ready for bed. Will breathed in the strong vapors as he looked at the ceiling and let his mind drift. He hadn't noticed she had come back in the room as she got under the covers, turned the lights off and snuggled next to him.

"Where did you go?" she asked.

"What?" he asked and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Where did you go?"

"I was thinking about Alec' birthday. It's in two weeks."

"I have been talking to your mum and she wants to plan something spectacular to celebrate."

"I thought she might," he said with a sigh. "But I can't blame her. He is her first grandchild."

"Maybe we could talk to her and explain we want to keep things simple."

"She doesn't_ do_ simple, Clark," he teased and she softly giggled. He became silent as she looked at him and he glanced over at her. "Before you ask, I was thinking about my birthday."

"What about it?"

"I wouldn't be here to celebrate it if I hadn't changed my mind about going to Switzerland. In fact, I wouldn't even be celebrating Christmas or New Years," he said and she felt a small pain in her chest. He glanced at her when he gave her a small grin and she could just see his dimples.

"What did you usually do for your birthday?" she asked as he went silent and looked at the ceiling. She listened to the slight wheeze to his breathing as she waited for him to say something and he glanced over at her.

"Before the accident, I would go out to dinner with whatever girlfriend I had at the time or have some friends over for drinks and takeout. After the accident, I didn't want to be reminded I was a year older, but still like this."

"Do you want to celebrate your birthday?"

"Yes, I do. But, if it's all the same to you, I would like to do something private."

"We could go see a film."

"A little more private."

"A romantic dinner for two?"

"That does sound tempting, but who'd look after Alec?"

"We could take Alec out and have a small family dinner."

"Nathan would have to come, too."

"Right. Wouldn't want to leave him out," she teased as he made a soft laugh and closed his eyes. She watched him drift off to sleep when she lightly kissed his cheek, placed her head against his shoulder, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

It was around two in the morning when the sound of screaming woke Louisa as she sat up, turned the light on and looked at Will. His eyes were open as he looked at her then at the doorway and Louisa got out of bed. She quickly covered him up to his shoulders as she headed out of the room and went down the hallway.

"No! Will! Will!" came from other room as she stood in the doorway and saw Alec curled into a ball. She heard him sobbing as she quickly moved to the bed and knelt down.

"Alec," Louisa said as his eyes snapped open and fat tears rolled down his cheeks. He reached out for her when she stood, lifted him up and held him in her arms. "Oh, Sweetie, what's wrong?!"

"I saw the bad man," Alec whispered, looking around the room as he tried to find the man he saw in his nightmare.

"What was the bad man doing?"

"He hurt Will."

"The bad man was hurting Will?" she asked and he nodded. "How was he hurting him?"

"He did this," he said and lightly pulled on his right arm to show her what he saw.

"Oh," she said, placing his arm down and lightly rubbed his shoulder. She paced back and forth for a few minutes then looked at him and brushed some hair from his eyes. "Do you want to go back to bed?"

"No. I want Will," he said and she nodded, turning the humidifier off, headed for the door, turned the light off and walked down the hallway. She came into the bedroom after turning the hall light off and Will noticed how upset Alec looked.

"What happened?" Will asked as Louisa walked to the bed then sat down next to him. Alec moved away from Louisa to snuggle under the blankets with Will and Louisa gently moved Will's left arm so he could hold Alec. Even though he couldn't feel it, he knew his son was shaking and wanted so much to lean his head down to kiss the top of Alec's head. "Are you alright, Buddy?"

"No. I saw the bad man," Alec said, looking at the doorway

"What bad man?" he asked, looking at Louisa and she shrugged.

"Tell Will what the bad man was doing," Louisa said.

"He was hurting you," Alec said and Will frowned.

"How was he hurting me?" Will asked.

"He was pulling on your right arm," Louisa said.

"Like when Nathan does it?"

"No," Alec said, shaking his head. "He pulled real hard!"

"He was pulling on it really hard?" Will asked and Alec nodded. "Do you know why he was doing that?"

"Will was bad!"

"He said Will was bad?" Louisa asked and Alec nodded.

"Well, the bad man's gone," Will said with a small smile and Alec smiled up at him. "Now, I want you to understand that Lou and I would _never_ allow anyone to hurt you and Iknow Lou would _never_ allow anyone to hurt me."

"He's right. I would never allow anyone to hurt either of you," Louisa said, getting under the blankets and snuggled next to Will. She slid her arm around Will as Alec yawned then closed his eyes and she saw the sweet smile on Will's face.

"Uh, I just thought of something," Will said and she noticed the worried look on his face. "Isn't this when we normally do my early morning routine."

"Yes, it is."

"How are we going to do this without moving him?"

"Hold on," she said, getting out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Will looked at the wall when Alec made a soft moan and he glanced down at his son.

"Hey, now, it's ok. Daddy's here," he whispered and Alec settled down. Louisa came out of the bathroom as she looked at them then walked to the bed and he glanced at her.

"What did you say?" she asked, placing the medication on the night table.

"Just reassuring him that I was here."

"You said "daddy"," she said, taking the medical equipment out of the drawer and he gave her a blank look.

"Well, I am his daddy."

"I know, but that's the first time I've heard you actually say it," she said then gently moved Alec so she could examine Will. She moved Alec back against Will then as moved Will's left arm so he was holding Alec and Will glanced at her.

"Do you think he knows what that word means?" he asked while she placed the medical equipment away and wrote the information in his medical file.

"No, I don't think he does," she said and helped him take his medication, wrote down what she did in the file, placed everything away and got under the blankets. She moved the bedding up after she snuggled closer and heard Will make a small sigh. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just concerned with him having nightmares about someone hurting me or him."

"I am, too, but, like we told him, neither of us are going to allow anyone to hurt him ever again."

"Do you think we should tell Miss Sharpe?"

"It was just a nightmare," she said, lightly carding the back of Alec' head.

"Or he's remembering what happened," Will said, arching his eyebrows up. "I know Rupert would never harm a kid, but…"

"Would Alicia harm a child?"

"Well, the Christmas before my accident, we were out doing some window shopping and she pushed a kid to the ground once then told him to bugger off."

"Why did she do that?"

"I don't know. The poor kid was just collecting for charity."

"But he said it was a bad _man_."

"Yeah, he did," Will said then made a soft moan and half closed his eyes. Louisa watched him drifting off to sleep when she reached over to pick up her phone and looked at the texting screen. She moved her finger on the screen until she found the right number and lightly tapped the screen. Devon's number appeared as she looked at the keyboard and her thumbs dangled over the keyboard. Sighing, she turned the phone off before placing the phone back on the night table, turned the light off and snuggled next to Will and Alec. She placed her arm around Will as she closed her eyes, sighed and drifted off to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: Warning: There will be talk about child abuse in this chapter.**_

Chapter Eleven

Nathan walked to the doorway when he saw Louisa, Alec and Will sleeping and leaned against the doorframe. He had gotten used to seeing them like that as he smiled and Louisa sighed, opening her eyes.

"Morning," Nathan said in a soft voice and she looked at him.

"Morning," Louisa said, watching him walk to the bed.

"Looks like Alec slept in here again."

"Yeah," Louisa said while Will sighed and slowly opened his eyes. Carefully sitting up, Louisa brushed the hair out of his eyes as he looked at her and she placed the side of her head in her hand.

"Morning," Will said with a sleepy tone.

"Did he have a bad night?" Nathan asked as he got the medical file out of the drawer and Will looked at the ceiling.

"Me or him?"

"Him."

"Yeah, he had a bad dream about someone hurting me," Will said and Nathan frowned. "It wasn't you."

Nodding, Nathan got the medical equipment out of the drawer while Alec sighed and slowly opened his eyes. He had his head against Will's chest and the soft thump of Will's heart made him smile.

"Morning, Sweetie," Louisa said as he looked at her and gave her a little sleepy wave.

"Hey, Little Mate," Nathan said while Alec looked at him and blinked. Carefully sitting up, Alec wiped the sleep out of his eyes then held his arms out and Nathan placed the medical equipment on the night table. Nathan picked him up off the bed as they hugged and Alec placed his head against Nathan's shoulder. Louisa watched Nathan gently rub Alec' back as he paced back and forth and Will looked at the ceiling.

"Lou thinks we should call Devon Sharpe," Will finally said.

"Why? It was just a bad dream," Nathan said, stopping near the side of the bed.

"Or he was remembering something."

"Like what?"

"Like who really dislocated his shoulder," Will said while Alec reached out for him and Nathan sat Alec down next to Will's side.

"Then maybe you should call her. If he is remembering what happened, it might help her case."

"I'll be right back," Louisa said as she got out of bed then left the room and Nathan looked from Will to Alec.

"Want to help me see if it's ok for Will to get up?" Nathan asked and Alec looked at Will then at him, smiled and nodded his head.

Devon sat at her desk while she read the file when a knock on the door made her look up and the door opened.

"Are you busy?" Benjamin asked, walking in the room.

"Nothing that can't wait," she said as she closed the file and he walked to the desk.

"I just thought you'd want to know they caught Rupert Freshwell."

"Where did they find him?" she asked, sitting up a little straighter.

"He was in Sydney," he said and she puffed out a breath of air while sitting back in the chair.

"How did they catch him?"

"It was pure luck. His photograph was sent out to all law enforcement agencies and a local police constable just happened to see him in a pub. He called his supervisor and Freshwell was arrested."

"When will he be returned to London?"

"The DI who captured him said they'll be here later today," he said and she nodded. The soft chirp of her phone filled the air when Devon picked up the phone and looked at the text screen.

"Damn," she said with a sigh.

"What's wrong?"

"I just got a text from the woman who's looking after Alec Freshwell."

"What happened?"

"He had a nightmare last night."

"What was the nightmare about?"

"Hold on," she said and typed on the keyboard.

_**What was the nightmare about?**_

_**He said a bad man was hurting Will.**_

"Shit," Devon said and Benjamin frowned. "She says it was about a bad man hurting the man who is taking care of him."

"How was he hurting him?"

_**How was the bad man hurting Will?**_

_**He was pulling on his right arm really hard.**_

_**Like what happened to Alec?**_

_**Yes.**_

"She says the bad man was pulling on the man's right arm just like what happened to Alec," Devon said and Benjamin sighed.

"Sounds to me like he's remembering who hurt him," Benjamin said and she nodded.

_**I'll contact the DI in charge of the case and tell him Alec might be remembering who hurt him.**_

_**Do you think he would want to talk to Alec?**_

_**Yes, if that's alright.**_

_**I'll have to ask Will.**_

"I told her I'm going to call DI Archer and tell him what's going on," Devon said, glancing at Benjamin.

"He's going to want to talk to Alec," Benjamin said when the soft chirp filled the air and Devon looked at the screen.

_**Will said it is alright for him to talk to Alec.**_

"She said it's alright for him to talk to Alec.," Devon said.

"Then you better call him," Benjamin said as he turned then left the room and Devon looked at the screen.

_**Are you sure he can handle this?**_

_**Yes, I think Alec will be fine.**_

_**I'm talking about Mister Traynor.**_

_**He says he'll be alright.**_

_**I'll call you as soon as I finish talking with the DI in charge of the case and tell you when he'd like to speak with Alec.**_

Devon placed the phone on the desk, picked up the receiver and pushed the button, holding the receiver to her right ear.

"Yes, I need to speak to DI Archer. Thank you," she said as she sat back in the chair and sighed.

"DI Philip Archer," DI Archer said.

"This is Devon Sharpe."

"Ah, Miss Sharpe, how may I help you?"

"I have some information about the Freshwell case."

"What sort of information?"

"It appears Alec Freshwell might be starting to remember what happened to him."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, no, but the woman who is taking care of him called and said he had a nightmare last night about someone hurting the man who is also taking care of him."

"How was this person hurting him?"

"They were pulling on the man's right arm."

"That does coincide with his injuries."

"Do you wish to talk with Alec?"

"Yes."

"When would it be convenient for you to do this?"

"I would like to talk to him today."

"I'll need to talk with the woman who's taking care of him first."

"Why?"

"Her fiancé, the man who he said was getting hurt, is in a wheelchair and it might take them a while to get here."

Devon picked up the phone, looked at the text screen then pushed the button and typed on the keyboard.

_**Can you bring Alec to New Scotland Yard to talk with the DI in charge of the abuse case this afternoon?**_

She waited as a soft ping made her look at the screen and she blinked.

_**Will needs to contact his solicitor first.**_

_**How long will that take?**_

_**He's on the phone with him now.**_

Devon smiled when she held the receiver to her right ear and looked at the text screen.

"I just text her and her fiancé is on the phone with his solicitor," she said.

"Why?"

"Do you really think they would let Alec talk to you without one?"

The soft ping made her look at the screen and she slowly blinked her eyes.

_**Will says his solicitor agrees we should talk to the police, but wishes to be present when Alec is questioned.**_

_**I said the same thing to the detective in charge of the case.**_

_**What time does he want us to be there?**_

"What time do you want to talk to Alec?" Devon asked.

"Tell them I'll see them around fifteen thirty," he said.

_**Can you be here by fifteen thirty?**_

_**Yes. Will said his solicitor will meet us there.**_

_**I'll meet you at New Scotland Yard.**_

Devon exited the text screen then placed the phone on the desk, held the receiver up to her right ear and sighed.

"She says that will be fine," Devon said.

"Good," he said then ended the call and Devon placed the receiver on the phone cradle, turned the chair around and puffed out a breath of air while looking out the window.

The van stopped in the handicap parking spot of the New Scotland Yard carpark as the door opened and Nathan and Louisa got out of the van. Nathan walked to the back of the van when he opened the doors and pushed the button. The small lift lowered the wheelchair as he looked at Will and Alec and Will's arms were wrapped around his son. Louisa watched the red sports car stop in the visitor's parking area when the door opened and a tall man with black hair peppered with white and grey hair got out of the car. He closed the door then set the car alarm as he walked closer and stood in front of her.

David McCann was the Traynor family solicitor and Louisa noticed the serious look in his hazel eyes. He gave her a small smile as he nodded then looked at Will and was amused by the white parka, red knit cap, fleece scarf, thick gloves and the fleece blanket wrapped around Will's hips, legs and feet.

"Hello, David," Will said.

"Hello, William," David said as he looked at Alec and Alec was dressed like Will. He also noticed how much Alec looked like Will and pushed the wire rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Will said and Alec looked up at him. "Say hello to Mister McCann."

"Hello," Alec said and David smiled.

"Shall we go in?" David asked as they headed for the ramp and the doors hissed open. They walked to the security station when Will noticed the scanner and frowned.

"Now what do we do?" Nathan asked while Devon walked closer and he noticed the serious look on her face.

"Hello," Devon said.

"Hello," Will said as he glanced at David and David had a blank look on his face. "This is David McCann. He is my solicitor."

"Hello."

"Hello. I hope you don't mind me being here," David said and she nodded.

"No, not at all," she said with a shake of her head. "Well, if you will follow me, we'll go to the CID."

"What about that?" Nathan asked and she looked at the security station. She knew the wheelchair would set off the alarms as she stood a little straighter and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"I think it's like when we went through security at the airport," Will said, flicking the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair headed for the security station. The security guards looked at him and Alec as Will stopped the wheelchair and looked at them. "Hello."

"This is William Traynor and Alec Freshwell. They're here to see DI Archer," Devon said as she walked closer and stood next to the wheelchair. The security guard at the desk typed on the keyboard and looked at the screen.

"Their names are on the list," the security guard said as the other security guard walked to the wheelchair and looked down at Will.

"He'll need to go through there," the security guard said as he pointed to the scanner and Alec looked at Will.

"Go on," Will said and Devon carefully picked Alec off Will's lap. She placed Alec down when Alec walked to the scanner, carefully walked through it then smiled and walked back. He walked back and forth three more times as the security guards smiled and Will softly laughed. "Ok, Buddy, that's enough."

Devon, David, Nathan and Louisa walked through the scanner while the security guard checked the wheelchair then told Will to go around the scanner and Will flicked the joystick with his finger. The wheelchair came to a stop near Louisa as the security guard came closer and handed them the security badges. Louisa placed the security badges on Will shirt after opening the parka and placed Alec on Will's lap.

"This way," Devon said as they headed for the lifts and Alec leaned back against Will's chest. They stopped at the lift doors when she pushed the button and they waited. The soft ping signaled the lift doors were opening and they went into the lift car. There was enough room for the wheelchair as Devon pushed the button and the lift doors closed. A few minutes later, they headed down the hallway to the CID when they went in the room and Alec smiled, looking at the detectives and PCs working at their desks.

"Hello," made Will turn the wheelchair to look at the tall man with dark hair walking closer and DI Philip Archer stood in front of the wheelchair. "I am DI Philip Archer."

"I am Will Traynor," Will said, noticing a slight change in Archer's face when Archer glanced from him to Alec and blinked. "This is my fiancé, Louisa Clark, my primary caregiver, Nathan, my solicitor, David McCann and you know Devon Sharpe and Alec."

Archer knelt down on his haunches as he looked at Alec and Alec gave him a blank look. The last time Archer saw Alec, Alec was in a hospital bed with a cast going from his right wrist to his shoulder and he had a terrified look on his face.

"Hello, Alec. Do you remember me?" Archer asked.

"No," Alec asked with a shake of his head and Archer stood up, looking at Devon then looked at Will.

"If you all will follow me," he said as they headed by the desks and headed down a long hallway. Archer stopped at a door with Interrogation Room Two on the name plate and he opened the door. The room consisted of a table, five chairs and an audio recorder on the table and Devon held the door open. Will moved the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair headed for table then stopped and Archer walked to the table, sitting on the chair.

"Do you want us to wait outside?" Louisa asked, pointing to herself then Nathan.

"No, you can sit over there," Archer said, pointing to the chairs near the door and they went to sit down. Devon closed the door as she and David walked to the table and sat down on the chairs and Archer pushed the button on the audio recorder. "This is DI Philip Archer. The date is seven December two thousand and nine. The time is fifteen thirty-two. I am talking with Miss Devon Sharpe, Mister David McCann, Mister William Traynor and Alec Freshwell."

"You forgot Lou and Nathan," Alec said and Archer smiled.

"You're right," Archer said then added their names to the recording. Devon removed several pieces of paper when she slid the pieces of paper to Archer and he looked at them. "What is this?"

"These are the letters Mister Traynor, his mother, Judge Camilla Traynor, and I have received from Mister Rupert Freshwell. These are two paternity tests. And the last one is a copy of Alec' birth certificate," Devon said and Archer looked at the pieces of paper. Will studied Archer's face, but was unable to read anything and Archer strummed his fingers on the top of the table.

"Thank you," Archer said with a nod then looked at Alec. "Alec, Miss Sharpe told me you had a bad dream last night."

"Yeah," Alec said with a nod when he looked at Will and pouted. "The bad man hurt Will."

"Are you sure if was a bad _man_?!"

"Yeah."

"I see," he said with a nod and leaned back in the chair. "What did the bad man to do Will?"

"He pulled his arm,": Alec said and pulled on his own right arm to show him what happened.

"Why was he doing that?"

"He said Will was bad."

"Why would he say Will was bad?" he asked and Alec shrugged. "Did Will do something wrong?"

"Uh….," Alec said as he remembered more of the nightmare and leaned against Will's chest.

"Hey," Will said and Alec looked up at him. "It's ok. No one's going to get angry. What did I do?"

"You spilled the juice."

"I did?"

"Yeah."

"Where did I spill it?"

"It was on the small table."

"Like the small table in my den?"

"Yeah."

"Did I do it on purpose?" Will asked and Alec shook his head.

"You have to say yes or no," David said.

"No," Alec said.

"Why would the bad man be mad at Will if he accidentally spilled the juice?" Louisa asked.

"The juice went on the papers."

"There were papers on the small table?" Archer asked.

"Yeah."

"And that is when the bad man got mad at Will?"

"Uh-hunh," Alec said and Will slowly blinked. He started to picture in his mind what happened to Alec and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Mister Traynor….?" Archer asked and Louisa walked to the wheelchair and looked at Will. He kept his eyes shut as he tried not to grind his teeth and Louisa gently stroked the side of his head.

"Will, are you alright?" Louisa asked and he opened his eyes, looking at Alec. He blinked the tears out of his eyes as Alec carefully knelt on his thighs, wrapped his tiny arms around Will's neck and hugged him. Will placed his head against Alec' head while smiling and made a little sigh.

"Lou, please move Alec out of the way," Nathan said and she lifted Alec off of Will's lap. Nathan quickly checked Will's vitals as Archer turned the audio recorder off and Alec placed his cheek against Louisa's shoulder.

"Is he alright?" Archer asked, looking at Will.

"His blood pressure is up a little, but he's fine," Nathan said, putting the small medical bag in the basket under the wheelchair. Louisa placed Alec back on Will's lap as Alec looked up at Will and Will smiled. She placed Will's arms around Alec while Archer turned the audio recorder on and leaned his lower arms on top of the table.

"Alec?" Archer asked and Alec looked at him. "Did the bad man do anything else to Will?"

"He dropped him on the table then Will fell on the floor," Alec said and Archer nodded. He looked at the file folder on the table when he opened the folder and looked at the photographs.

"Alright," he said as he moved the photographs toward Alec and Will and Will flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair came closer to the table. "Alec, I want you to look at the first photo."

Will pushed the button to make the wheelchair raise up a bit so Alec could see the photograph better and Alec tilted his head to one side.

"Do you know who that is?"

"No," Alec said with a shake of his head and Will frowned.

"That's Alice Freshwell," Will said. "She's Rupert's mother."

Nodding, Archer moved the photograph back when he slid the next photograph toward Alec and Alec looked at the photograph.

"Do you know who this is?" Archer asked.

"No," Alec said with a shake of his head.

"That's Mark Freshwell," Will said. "Rupert's father."

"Why doesn't he know who they are? They are his paternal grandparents," David said.

"According to the letter Mister Freshwell sent to Mister Traynor, the Freshwell's didn't want anything to do with Alec," Devon said and Archer looked at the letter Rupert had sent Will.

"So that clears him of being the bad man," Archer said and slid the next photograph toward Alec. "Do you know who this is?"

"That's Vicki!" Alec said with a smile. Will looked at the smiling young woman with brown hair with bright blue tips and green eyes and slowly blinked his eyes.

"Did she ever hurt you?" Archer asked and Alec pressed his lips together.

"Uh…."

"Do you remember what she did to you in the bathroom?"

"Yeah," Alec said with a nod. "The water in the tub was too hot."

"Yes, the water in the tub was too hot."

"But she didn't mean it."

"What?"

"She didn't mean for the water to be too hot?" David asked and Alec looked at him.

"She left the water on and got me naked," Alec said.

"She had the water running while she was undressing you?"

"Yeah."

"Then she picked you up and put you in the water," Archer said with an accusing tone.

"No," Alec said with a shake of his head.

"Did she pick you up?" Devon asked.

"Yeah."

"Did she put you over the water?"

"Yeah, and I got scared."

"Because you could feel that the water was too hot?" Will asked and Alec looked at him.

"Yeah. I cried then she did."

"She started crying?" Lou asked and Archer sat back in the chair. He had read the report about the bathtub incident. Rupert had told him he had walked into the bathroom just as Victoria had placed Alec in the tub, but now he wondered just how much of his testimony was true.

"Did she tell you she was sorry for scaring you?" Will asked.

"Yeah," Alec said with a nod. "I don't like baths."

"Baths are for babies," Will said with a grin and Alec giggled. Archer looked at the photograph when he slid the next photograph to Alec and Alec' face changed.

"Do you know who that is?" Archer asked and Alec looked at Rupert's photo.

"That's the Sad Man," Alec said, leaning against Will's chest.

"Why do you call him that?"

"He's always sad."

"Has he ever hurt you?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head.

"That means he isn't the Bad Man either," Devon said. Archer nodded as he looked at the next photograph, slid the photograph to Alec then noticed the startled look on his face.

"Do you know who this is?" Archer asked.

"Yeah," Alec said as he looked up at Will and Will saw the fear in his son's eyes. "That's the Bad Lady."


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: Warning: More talk about child abuse. Will also talks to Alec. How will Alec react?**_

Chapter Twelve

Archer looked at the photograph of Alicia Freshwell while Louisa helped Will take a drink of the protein shake Nathan made for him then used the napkin to wipe Will's lips. Archer turned the photograph back around when he turned the audio recorder back on and sat back against the chair.

"Why did you call her a bad lady?" Archer asked.

"She's bad," Alec said and Louisa moved Will's arms so he was holding Alec.

"Did she ever hurt you?" Archer asked and Alec looked at Will. Will was looking at the photograph when Alec carefully knelt on Will's thighs and placed his small hands against Will's chest. Will saw the concern in his son's eyes as Alec tilted his head to one side and frowned.

"It's ok, Buddy. You can tell him," Will said, but Alec shook his head. "Why won't you tell him?"

"I don't want to make you angry," Alec said.

"I won't get angry."

"Would you tell me if he goes and waits out in the hallway?" Archer asked and Alec turned to look at him.

"Uh-hunh," Alec said with a nod and Louisa picked Alec off of Will's lap. Will gave her a confused look then used his finger to move the joystick and the wheelchair backed up. Nathan opened the door as they left the room and Nathan closed the door. Will parked the wheelchair near the wall as he looked at the wall across from him and blinked.

"Will?" Nathan asked, kneeling down on his haunches, but Will stayed silent.

"Now," Archer said as he looked at the photograph of Alicia Freshwell then looked at Alec. "Did she ever hurt you?"

"Yeah," Alec said while sitting on Louisa's lap and her eyes went wide.

"How did she hurt you?" Devon asked and Alec held up his left hand then slapped his fingers with his right hand.

"Shit," Archer whispered and Alec giggled.

"You said a bad word," Alec said and Archer smiled, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, I did."

"Did she only do that once?" David asked.

"No," Alec said, shaking his head.

"Did she do anything else?" Archer asked.

"Uh-hunh," he said, nodding.

"What else did she do?"

"She pushed me."

"She pushed you!?"

"Yeah."

"Where were you when she pushed you?"

"I was on the stairs," he said and Louisa gasped. Alec looked at her as she realized now why he didn't want to say these things in front of Will and Alec sniffed. She saw the tears in his eyes when she held him and Archer turned the audio recorder off. Archer looked at Devon when she nodded and got up, walked to the door and looked at Nathan.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked as he walked to her and Devon looked at Will. Will was looking at the wall when she walked to the wheelchair and placed her hand on Will's right shoulder. He glanced at her while he blinked and she went to stand in front of him.

"He needs you," she said in a soft voice as Will used his finger to move the joystick and the wheelchair headed for the door. They went into the room when Louisa stood up and walked to the wheelchair. He watched her placed Alec on his lap when Alec carefully knelt on Will's thighs and slid his arms around Will's neck. Will felt the tears against his neck as he gave Archer a dark look and Archer sighed.

"What did you say to him?!" Will demanded with a small growl and Archer leaned his lower arms on the edge of the table.

"It was more like what he said to me," Archer said and Will leaned his head against his son's head.

"This interview is over," Will said, moving the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair backed up. Archer opened his mouth to say something then closed it and watched them leave the room. He sat back in the chair as he looked at the photo of Alicia Freshwell and lightly thumped the edge of the desk with his fist.

"Will!" Louisa called as the wheelchair moved quickly by the desks and she half ran to catch up with it. The wheelchair stopped in front of the doors to the lift as she stopped to stand next to the wheelchair and he glanced up at her. "How were you going to call for the lift?"

"This is not the time for humor, Clark," Will said while glaring at her and she saw the anger in his eyes.

"Sorry," she said and gently carded the back of his head. "I know you're angry, but don't you think we should finish talking to DI Archer?"

"No," Will said, barely shaking his head and Alec sniffed. He moved back to look at Will as Will slightly arched his eyebrows up and Louisa used a tissue to wipe Alec' nose. "Unless you want to."

"I want to, but….," Alec said then went silent.

"But you don't to because what you have to tell him will make me angry."

"Yeah," Alec said with a nod and Will pressed his lips into a thin line. Louisa watched as Alec sat against Will and Will used the joystick to turn the wheelchair around. He looked at David, Devon and Nathan when the wheelchair headed back to the interview room and Archer walked out of the room.

"What's going on?" Archer asked.

"You can continue questioning him, but _only_ if you promise not to upset him or me," Will said and Archer opened the door to allow the wheelchair to go into the room. Archer walked to the table when he sat down and turned the audio recorder back on after the others had come into the room. He looked at the photograph of Alicia Freshwell when he moved the photograph back and slid the next photograph toward Alec.

"Do you know who this is?" Archer asked and Will looked at the photograph of Alicia's mother, Jane Dewar.

"Yeah," Alec said then looked at Will. "That's the Mean Lady."

"Why do you call her that?"

"She's mean."

"Has she ever hurt you?" he asked and Alec snuggled against Will's chest.

"Yeah," Alec said in a small voice and Louisa moved Will's arms so he was holding him.

"How did she hurt you?"

"She spanks my bottom and said I was bad."

"Did she do anything else?"

"She slapped me," Alec said and Will snorted an angry sigh. Alec looked at him while Will glanced down and Alec gently took hold of Will's right index finger. Archer looked at the last photograph when something clicked in his head and he slid the photograph toward Alec so he could look at it.

"Alec, is this the bad man?" Archer asked. The look on Alec' face confirmed what he already figured out as he turned off the audio recorder, stood up, walked around to the other side of the table and knelt down onto his haunches next to the wheelchair. "Thank you for talking to me, Alec. You've been a big help."

Alec gave him a small smile as Archer stood up and looked at Will then at Alec. Nodding, Philip headed for the door when he left the room and Will used the joystick to turn the wheelchair around to face the door.

"What was that all about?" Nathan asked.

"I think he just figured out who the Bad Man is," Will said, flicked the joystick with his finger and they left the room.

Alicia typed on the keyboard while she looked at the screen then glanced over at the framed photograph and sat back in the chair. Will smiled with his arm around her waist and Rupert was standing next to him. The photograph was from their last skiing trip and the memory of that day moved across her mind. She wasn't sure why she kept the photograph after the accident, but she didn't have the heart to change it.

Reaching over, she picked up the frame as she looked at the photograph and lightly outlined Will's face with her finger.

"Stop it," she whispered when muffled voices from behind the door made her place the frame back on the desk and the door slammed open. Archer and four PCs entered the office with her secretary behind them as he looked at Alicia and she glared at him. "What the hell?!"

"Alicia Freshwell, you are under arrest," Archer said as he walked toward the desk and she quickly stood up.

"Are you joking?! Under what charge?!"

"You are charged with reckless endangerment of a child, neglect and abuse," he said, removing the handcuffs from the holder on his belt.

"Are you talking about Alec?! Has something happened to him?!" she asked, backing toward the small bookcase under the large windows.

"Yes," Archer said as he stood face to face with her and leaned closer. "He remembers who hurt him."

Alicia softly swore, placing her arms behind her back, and Archer slid the handcuffs on her wrists. She looked straight ahead as they left the office and the frame fall face down on the desk after the door closed.

Will looked at the ceiling while Nathan finished examining him and placed the medical equipment in the drawer of the small table near the bed. Nathan wrote the information in medical file then got up and walked to the door. Will kept looking at the ceiling while he left the room and Will slowly blinked his eyes. He had been quite the whole trip home as he replayed the interview in his mind and saw a small slideshow of the photographs Archer had shown them. Alicia's smiling face made him want to fold his fingers into fists as he sighed and half closed his eyes.

"Will," made him open his eyes as he glanced over at the doorway and Louisa looked at him. She walked to the bed when she sat down on the edge of the bed and placed her hand on his chest.

"Have you ever hated anyone, Clark?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah, but not for very long."

"Have you hated someone so much that it starts eating at your insides?"

"Will…"

"I'm sorry," he said as he made a soft sigh and she moved her hand up and down his chest.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry. It was my idea to call Miss Sharpe," she said, lowering her head and he wanted to sit up and hold her in his arms. He snorted out a sigh and she looked at him with a confused look in her eyes.

"No," he said with a small shake of his head. "I won't let her do this. I refuse to let Alicia make us feel guilty over something _she_ did."

Louisa could just feel his heart slamming against the palm of her hand when she moved her fingers in small circles and he sighed.

"You are amazing," she said and his eyebrows lowered as he gave her a puzzled look. "I was expecting you to fall apart and yet…"

"You have_ no_ idea what's going on in my head right now! I want to scream! I want to tear this room apart! I want to….,!" he said, becoming silent. She watched the tears pooling in his eyes and he blinked, tears rolling freely down his cheeks. She slowly moved him closer when she placed his damp cheek on her shoulder and slid her arms around him. He made a jagged breath as the tears fell and she felt his body shaking. She held him until he calmed down then carefully lowered him against the pillows and went to get some antihistamines, the aspirator and something to calm him down. A few minutes later, she rested on the bed with him with her head against his shoulder and he looked up at the ceiling. "Clark..."

"No. Don't you_ dare_ say you're fine or you're sorry," she said with anger in her voice and he softly laughed.

"I was going to ask if you're feeling better," he said and she looked at him with a puzzled look. "I wasn't the only one crying."

"You're right," she said, moving her hand up and down his chest. She glanced over at the door when she saw Alec standing in the hallway and Will glanced over to see what she was looking at.

"Hey, Buddy," he said as Alec cautiously came in the room and stood at the foot of the bed.

"Do you want to come up for a snuggle?" Louisa asked and Alec nodded. They watched him move to the other side of the bed when he climbed up onto the mattress and Louisa moved over so he could crawl in between them. Louisa sat up a little more as she carded the top of Alec' head and Will made a small sigh.

"Why are you crying?" Alec asked, looking up at Will.

"I'm crying because this has been a really bad day," Will said.

"Oh," he said as he looked down and Louisa gently lifted his chin so he looked at Will.

"I don't blame you," he said then looked at Louisa. "Or Lou."

Will became silent when he decided to tell Alec the truth and Louisa slightly arched her eyebrows up from the look in his eyes.

"Let me tell you a story," Will said and Alec snuggled a little closer. "A few years ago, the Bad Lady and I were friends. We used to live in Central London and I _really_ liked her. But, one day, she was very rude to someone I needed to talk to and I nearly lost my job. I was so angry that I told her we were no longer friends and I wanted her to leave. She did, but what I didn't know was she left with our baby."

Will paused after Alec gave him a confused look and glanced at Louisa.

"Do you know where babies come from?"

"No," Alec said with a shake of his head and Louisa softly smiled. She carefully got up when she walked to the table and picked up Will's laptop. She returned to the bed when she sat down on the mattress and Alec snuggled against her. She typed on the keyboard when she found an age appropriate video for them to watch and Will enjoyed the surprised look on Alec' face after they watched a baby being born.

"May I continue my story?" Will asked after Louisa turned the laptop off then placed the laptop on the floor and Alec nodded. "The Bad Lady went to live with the Sad Man, but she told him not to tell me about the baby or she'd hurt him."

"That's mean," Alec said with a pout and Will barely nodded his head.

"After she had the baby, she came to my office and told me she was sorry. I told her how much I missed her and we became friends again. The thing is she would go stay with the baby and the Sad Man from time to time."

"And you didn't think that was strange?" Louisa asked.

"She told me she was working late or she was going on a business trip," Will said with a sigh and she saw the hurt and embarrassment in his eyes. He became silent for a few minutes as he looked at the ceiling then glanced at Alec. "If I had known she or the Mean Lady or the Bad Man were hurting the baby, I would have taken the baby from her."

"You would?" Alec asked.

"Yep," Will said with a small smile. "After I got hurt…"

Alec looked over at the wheelchair then at Will as he snuggled closer and Louisa cautiously moved Will's arm so Alec could place his head against Will's chest then lowered his arm.

"After I got hurt, she came to see me and I told her we could no longer be friends."

"Why?"

"Because I knew she wouldn't like the fact I wasn't able to move," he said and Alec frowned.

"I wouldn't have minded if you could move or not," Louisa said and Will gave him a sweet look.

"I wouldn't mind either," Alec said. Will swore he could feel his heart thumping hard in his chest as he sighed and looked at the ceiling. "Did you see the Bad Lady again?"

"Yes, but not for a long time. She came here with the Sad Man and told me they were going to get married. Lou didn't want me to go to the wedding because she knew it would make me sad, but I wanted to go. And I was glad we went. Want to know why?"

"Yeah."

"It was because that was the first time I told Lou just how much I like her."

Louisa felt the burn of the blush moving across her cheeks as Alec giggled and Will smiled.

"After that, we found out the Bad Lady was hurting the baby."

"How?"

"The Sad Man sent me a letter."

"Were you angry?"

"I was very angry," Will said with a small nod. "He had also sent the letter to Devon Sharpe and…"

"Miss Devon?!" he asked and Will softly laughed.

"Yeah, Miss Devon. She came here to do a test which would prove the baby was mine and I was surprised when I saw him for the first time. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

"Me!?" Alec asked, pointing to himself.

"Yes," Will said with a slight crack to his voice and Louisa saw the tears in his eyes. She moved Will's arm so Alec could sit up then he carefully crawled on top of Will, sat on Will's stomach then he placed his hands against Will's chest.

"Don't cry, Papa Bear," he said and Will coughed a laugh.

"Papa Bear?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you call me that?"

"You're furry," Alec said, patting Will's chest and Louisa cupped her mouth with her hand.

"Oh, like the papa bear in the book we're reading?"

"Yeah!"

Will closed his eyes as he tried to calm down and Louisa moved closer then started carding the side of his head. He enjoyed her fingers moving through his hair as he sighed and opened his eyes.

"I think Papa Bear needs go to sleep, don't you?" she asked and Alec nodded. Will gave them a hurt look, but knew she was right as he closed his eyes again and she got off the bed. Will sighed as he drifted off to sleep while Louisa picked Alec off Will and they left the room. Alec didn't fight her when she suggested he take a kip as well as she walked out of the bedroom and walked to the kitchen.

"How is he?" Nathan asked, looking up from updating the medical file and she sat down.

"He broken down and cried," Louisa said as she told him what happened and Nathan puffed out a breath of air. He noticed how upset she was as he closed the file and looked at her.

"Lou, this wasn't you're fault."

"I know. It's Alicia Freshwell's fault," she said, balling her hands into fists. She tried to calm down when she looked at him and pressed her lips into a slit. "Have you told Mrs. Traynor anything?"

"I was about to."

"Let me do it," she said and he nodded, getting up.

"I'm going to check on Will," he said as he left the kitchen and Louisa took the phone out of her pocket. She was hesitant about calling Camilla as she looked at the screen and her thumb hovered over the call button. Sighing, she pushed the button and held the phone up to her right ear.

"Miss Clark, why are you calling me?" Camilla asked and she heard the concern in her voice.

"We took Alec to talk with the detective who is in charge of the abuse case against the Freshwells," Louisa said, fighting the urge to bite her nails. She had told Camilla about the nightmare and Camilla agreed they should go talk to DI Archer.

"What happened?" Camilla said and Louisa started talking. The silence after she was finished was deafening as Louisa felt her stomach tightening then she heard a sigh in her ear.

"I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry about?"

"It was my idea to let Alec talk to him."

"Yes, but you weren't the one who has been hurting my grandson."

"But…"

"No! I will_ not_ allow you to feel guilty about this! If it wasn't for _you_, my son would be dead and we would be spending Christmas without him! We would be_ remembering_ him on his birthday instead of _celebrating_ it! _You_, My Dear, are more important to me…_to this family_…then that bloody bitch!"

Hearing those words caused a lump in her throat as Louisa swallowed and blinked the tears from her eyes.

"Louisa?"

"I'm still here."

"Good. Now, I want you to go take care of William and Alec and tell Alec I am very proud of him," Camilla said, ending the call and Louisa placed the phone back in her pocket, got up and left the room. Nathan came out of the bedroom as she looked at him and he gave her a puzzled look.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"She's angry, but not at me," Louisa said with a sad smile and Nathan looked at the bedroom doorway.

"Will's mumbling in his sleep."

"Then I better go see what's wrong," she said as he stood out of the way and she walked to the bed. Will made a little moan as she carefully sat down next to him and his eyelids opened slightly.

"Clark?" Will asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah?" she asked, taking his hand and wrapping their fingers together.

"Just checking," he said, closing his eyes and went back to sleep. She watched him for a few minutes when she carefully lifted his hand up to her lips and gently kissed his knuckles.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

"That bitch!" Georgina said while they walked down the passageway and Louisa nodded.

"The good news is Miss Sharpe called us the next day and told us Alicia and her parents have been arrested," Louisa said and Georgina sighed, shaking her head.

"They won't be incarcerated for very long. People like that have teams of lawyers and they'll be out on bail by Monday."

"That's what she told me."

"Are you sure you and Will can trust this DI Archer or this Miss Sharpe?"

"Your mum said he is reliable and we wouldn't have even known Alec was Will's son if she hadn't used someone reliable to do the paternity test."

"That doesn't mean they can't be bought,' Georgina said with a sigh and they stopped at the sliding doors. Louisa opened the doors as they came in the main room and she closed the doors. The annex was quiet while she walked to the master bedroom and looked inside. Will wasn't in the room and she turned to look at Georgina.

"Maybe they're in the kitchen," Georgina said, walking to the doorway to the kitchen, but there was no one there.

"Will?! Alec!? Nathan?!" Louisa called out.

"We're in the home theater room," Will called out and Georgina smiled. Walking down the hallway, they came to the home theater room as he flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair turned to face them. Georgina's eyes slightly widened while she looked from Will to Alec then back and Alec carefully leaned back against Will's chest. "Pause movie."

Georgina moved closer when she knelt down on her haunches next to the wheelchair and Alec tilted his head to one side before he looked up at Will.

"Hello," Georgina asked and Alec gave her a little wave. She stood up as Will looked up at her and she crossed her arms under the breasts. "I thought Mother was exaggerating when she said he looked just like you."

"Want to give Georgina a hug?" Louisa asked and Alec nodded. Georgina carefully picked Alec off of Will's lap when he hugged her and she leaned her head against his. He moved back as she smiled and he placed his small hand on her left shoulder.

"What are you watching?" Georgina asked while looking at the screen and a big grin spread across her face. "Oh, I haven't seen that in ages!"

"You want to watch with us?" Alec asked.

"Alright," Georgina said as she sat down on the chair next to the wheelchair and placed Alec on her lap. Louisa carefully sat on Will's lap when she placed her arm around his shoulders and placed her head against his.

"Play movie," Will said. He watched Georgina place her hand on top of his as he smiled and she slid her fingers around his.

The feeling of fingers moving through his hair woke Will as he made a content sigh and blinked his eyes open.

"Morning," Will said with a sleepy tone.

"Good morning," Louisa said while Nathan came in the room and stood at the foot of the bed. "Morning, Nathan."

"Morning," Nathan said and Louisa carefully got out of bed, placed her dressing gown on and left the room. She headed down the hallway when she went into the next bedroom and smiled at Alec sleeping peacefully under the covers. He was surrounded by some of the stuffed animals and cartoon characters Camilla had brought down from the attic and was holding onto one of Will's t-shirts. She walked to the bed when she sat down on the mattress and gently carded the top of his head, waking him. "Morning, Sweetie."

"Morning," Alec said with a sleepy voice.

"Happy birthday," she said as he gave her a puzzled look and frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"You don't know?"

"Nuh-unh," he said with a shake of his head. Louisa pressed her lips into a thin line as she sighed and closed her eyes for a second.

"Today is the day you were born."

"Oh," he said, elongating the "o" and she stood up. She moved the covers back as he got out of bed and they went into the bathroom.

Will watched Louisa enter the room with Alec in her arms when she put Alec on the end of the bed and Alec crawled up toward Will.

"Happy birthday," Will said with a grin and dimples made deep dents in his cheeks.

"He doesn't know what that means," Louisa said and Will and Nathan gave her a shocked look.

"You don't?" Nathan asked and Alec shook his head while he snuggled next to Will and Louisa reached over to carefully wrap Will's arm around Alec. She went over to the table where she had placed the letter as well as the other things Rupert sent them and picked up the birth certificate. She walked back to the bed when she sat next to Alec and Will and Alec looked at the birth certificate.

"What's that?" Alec asked, pointing to the birth certificate.

"This is your birth certificate," Will said, looking at the piece of paper.

"And, right here, it says today is the day you were born," Louisa said while looking at the information, but she wasn't surprised when she didn't see a name under the father's name space.

"Oh," Alec said, elongating the "o" then looked at Will. "What do we do now?"

"Well, you can have pancakes for breakfast if you want," Will said.

"Please?!" Alec said with a pleading look and Louisa nodded.

"After that, we can go open the presents Lou, Nathan and I bought you."

"Yay!"

"Then we are going to the main house for your birthday party," Louisa said, placing the birthday certificate on the night table.

"What's a birthday party?" Alec asked and Will swore he felt anger building inside his chest.

"Well, a birthday party is where we invite your friends and teacher from baby school over to the house and celebrate your birthday with you. There will be food, games, more presents, special decorations and balloons," Will said and Alec' eyes widened.

"There will also be cake and ice cream," Louisa said and Alec's mouth fell open in surprise.

"But we can't do any of those things until I examine Will," Nathan said and Will sighed, rolling his eyes. Smiling, Louisa got off the bed as she picked up Alec and they left the room. Nathan got the medical equipment out of the drawer when he looked at Will and Will gave him an exasperated look. "You do know you're going to have to take a kip before the party, right?"

"Yes," Will said with a nod and Nathan softly laughed as he started examining Will.

The soft clicking sounds of her heels on the tile echoed down the hallway as Devon walked toward the visitation area and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose with her index finger. She nodded to the guard as the guard held the clear shatter proof glass door open and Devon walked to the table. Alicia glared at her as Devon sat down and the corner of her mouth curled up at the sight of Alicia in the orange jumpsuit.

"Orange looks good on you," Devon said as she placed her lower arms on the top of the table and Alicia glared at her.

"Are you here to gloat?" Alicia asked while crossing her arms over her chest.

"No, but I am impressed that you're still here. I thought your solicitor would have gotten you out on bail days ago."

"Apparently not," she said with a growl in her voice. "But my father's solicitor is working on it."

"I'm amazed he has time. Seeing how he's trying to get him and your mother out of prison as well."

"What do you want?!"

"I just thought you'd like to know Victoria Collins was released from prison today," she said and Alicia's eyes widened.

"What?! That's impossible! She…!" she shouted as the guard moved closer and placed her hand on Alicia's left shoulder.

"Keep it down or this interview is over," the guard said and Alicia sighed, moving away from her.

"She still insists she did not harm your son," Devon said.

"She put him in a bathtub filled with boiling hot water," Alicia said.

"If she had, he would have burns on his legs and feet," Devon said and tried hard not to growl. She remained silent for a few minutes then she pushed her glasses up with her finger. "Your husband was also released from prison today."

"But…! But he's a flight risk!"

"Yes, he is."

"Why was he released?"

"Well, based on your son's testimony…."

"What testimony!?"

"He remembers what happened to him."

"Yes, I was told that."

"Well, he talked with DI Archer…"

"Whatever you got him to say isn't going to be admissible in court," she said while giving Devon a smug look.

"How so?"

"He had no guardian present to explain to him about what was going on."

"I was there, as were the people who are taking care of him, and there was also a solicitor."

"He could have been coached!" Alicia said loudly and the guard placed her hand back on Alicia's left shoulder.

"Final warning," the guard said and Alicia glared at her.

"He wasn't," Devon said, checking the time on her watch. "Anyway, seeing how Alec is sure the only people who haven't hurt him are Miss Collins and your husband, Rupert Freshwell was released from prison and placed in the care of his parents. He is wearing a tracking bracelet, but, if he leaves their home or tries to remove the tracking bracelet, he goes right back to prison."

"Is there anything else you want to talk to me about or are you just here to waste my time?" Alicia asked and Devon tried hard not to reach across the table and slap her in the face.

"Do you know what day it is?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You don't remember what happened today, say, four years ago?!" Devon asked as she gave Alicia a cold look and Alicia sat up a little straighter.

"No, I don't."

"I find that a little odd. I know I would remember the day my son was born," Devon said and Alicia glared at her.

"Are we done?" Alicia asked with a bored look on her face.

"Yes," Devon said as she got up and headed for the door then turned to look at Alicia. "By the way. I was invited to your son's birthday party. Do you want me to tell him anything?"

"Fuck off," Alicia said and Devon nodded. Leaving the room, Devon headed down the hallway as the sound of her heels clicked loudly on the tile behind her and she found it hard not to scream.

Louisa opened the door as she looked at Devon and Devon walked by her. Louisa closed the door as she smiled and Devon looked down at the bright blue gift bag in her hands.

"Sorry I'm late," Devon said, handing her the gift bag.

"No, you're right on time." Louisa said as they walked to where the birthday presents were and Devon looked at the bright decorations and balloons. "I know. Will's mum went a little overboard."

"No, it's perfect," she said as she looked around and saw Alec playing with his friends. "Where is Mister Traynor?"

"Right here," Will said as she turned around and the corners of her mouth curled up into a big grin. A small gold plastic crown was perched on top of his head and he was wearing a large pair of purple plastic glasses.

"Nice hat."

"It's not a hat. It's a birthday crown," he said with a smug look as the small plastic crown slid down to rest on the top of the plastic glasses. Louisa removed the small plastic grown while Devon tried not to laugh and Will frowned, arching an eyebrow.

"Hi!" Alec said after he had run to the wheelchair and carefully crawled up onto Will's lap. Alec was dressed in a smaller version of the jeans, white dress shirt and cream color jumper Will wore and had white trainers on his feet.

"Hello," Devon said as she knelt down on her haunches and placed her hand on top of Will's hand. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you," he said then looked at Will. "Papa Bear, we're going to do the donkey game. Want to play?"

"Sure," Will said while Devon stood up and she and Louisa watched Will steer the wheelchair toward the other children.

"Papa Bear?" Devon asked with a small laugh as she glanced at Louisa and Louisa softly smiled.

"He's been calling Will that ever since we went to talk with DI Archer and Alec found out Will is his father," Louisa said and Devon watched Alec guide Will to where the plastic paper with a donkey printed on it was. Will had a cloth covering his eyes and the children were trying to confuse him by telling him he was going the wrong way.

"How is he not hitting the furniture?!" one of the fathers asked.

"I have the room memorized," Will said when he stopped the wheelchair so the wheelchair was positioned on an angle and Alec helped Will place the plastic tail near the donkey. Alec moved the cloth up as Will blinked his eyes open and looked at the donkey. The plastic tail was hanging off the donkey's back as he glanced at Alec and Alec shrugged then gave him a big grin.

It was later in the afternoon when Will had gone back to the annex to rest for a bit after they ate and Louisa told him she would come get him when it was time to open the presents. Looking at the ceiling, he thought back to the night he had the argument with Alicia and half closed his eyes.

"_What do you mean it's __**my**__ fault?!"_

"_You __**knew**__ I needed to get Oscar Baker to sign up with the agency! What the __**hell**__ were you thinking?!"_

"_I was just telling him to take his slimy hands off of me!"_

"_You grabbed his balls!"_

"_He grabbed my ass!"_

"_Look! That's not the point! Thanks to you, not only did I lose a __**major**__ account, but I nearly lost my bloody job!"_

"_Martin wouldn't have fired you. You're…"_

"_He bloody well can fire me!"_

"_He'll get over it."_

"_Are you serious?! **Are you fucking serious?!** That's it! That's fucking it! Get out!"_

"_What?!"_

"_Get out! It's over!"_

"_What's over?!"_

"_This! You and me! We're done!"_

"_Fine!"_

"Will," made him open his eyes as he glanced over at the door and Louisa walked in the room. She walked to the bed when she carefully sat down and he made a small sigh.

"How's it going?" Will asked.

"One of the kids spilt their juice on the carpet."

"Oh no," he said with a moan. "Mother must have had a fit."

"No, she had the carpets stain guarded."

"Anything else?"

"There was a small argument over who won the egg race."

"Please tell me you didn't use real eggs."

"It wouldn't be any fun if they weren't," she said and he coughed a little laugh.

"You're right."

"Finally, one of Alec's friends had to go home early."

"Why?"

"He had too many nibbles and got sick in one of your mother's potted plants."

"Oh no," Will said and wanted to rub his face with his hands.

"Where did you go?" she asked and he frowned.

"I didn't go anywhere."

"I meant in here," she said, lightly tapping his forehead. "You had your eyes closed. That normally means you're either asleep or off somewhere in your head.

"I was thinking about the argument Alicia and I had when we broke up. If I hadn't ended things with her…," he said and she saw the sadness in his eyes.

"Do you honestly think she would have told you? Keeping her pregnancy from you was her way of getting what she wanted. I wouldn't be surprised if you would have had any more children with her if or when the two of you had gotten married. And, if you really did end things with her, she had Alec to use as a bargaining chip if she wanted get money from you."

"You're right," he said, looking at the ceiling then glanced at her. "Can I get up now?"

"Sure," she said when she got up and went to get the medical equipment. A few minutes later, she was pushed the wheelchair down the passageway and Will smiled when he saw Alec waiting at the other end. Alec gently got onto his lap as he snuggled back against Will's chest and they headed back to the main room.

"Open," Alec said while Will opened his mouth and Alec fed him some sugar free vanilla ice cream. The guests were leaving and the children had the little gift bags in their hands. Will noticed the smile on his mother's face as she chatted with Devon when Devon turned her head to look at him and smiled. He smiled when she gave them a small wave then left. Camilla closed the door when she leaned against the door and puffed out a breath of air. Will had seen that tired look on her face after his birthday parties or Georgina's, but she didn't seem too upset by the mess and he opened his mouth for another small scoop of ice cream.

"Well, I have to say that went well," Camilla said as she walked to stand next to the wheelchair and Alec used the napkin to wipe Will's lips.

"Yes," Will said with a small nod. "Unlike my seventh birthday when I was sent to my room because I smashed my slice of birthday cake onto Archie Blackstone's head."

"Will!" Louisa said with wide eyes and Alec gave him a shocked look.

"He was asking for it after he accused me of cheating in the egg and spoon race."

"No, you were just being a brat," Steven said, walking closer and Camilla made a small laugh.

"Did you say you were sorry, Papa Bear?" Alec asked.

"Yeah," Will said with a small nod.

"Need help getting the presents back to the annex?" Georgina asked.

"Yes," Louisa said as she looked at the presents sitting on the table and they walked to the table. Will watched Louisa, Georgina and Nathan take the presents out of the room when he sighed and Alec frowned.

"Are you getting tired?" Alec asked.

"No," Will said with a small shake of his head and Camilla placed her hand on his left shoulder. She knew he wanted to help take the presents back to the annex as she lightly carded the back of his head and he glanced up at her.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes, Mother, I'm fine."

"Then get going. We have everything under control," she said and he used his finger to pushed the joystick and the wheelchair left the room. Steven came closer as he slid his arms around her waist and Camilla smiled.

"Well, looks like we survived another child's birthday party," he teased while looking around the room.

"Yes, but it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Miss Clark and Miss Sharpe," Camilla said with a sigh and he hugged her waist.

"You're right," he said as he took her hand and they went to help clean up the mess.

Will watched Louisa moving the bedding up then snuggle next to him and she placed her head against his right shoulder. She placed her hand on his chest as her fingers slid under the opening of his fleece pajamas top and she moved her fingers through the soft chest hairs.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked.

"Sure," she said.

"If I could feel what you're doing, I wouldn't want you to stop."

"You wouldn't?"

"Nope," he said, popping the "p" and she slid her hand out and lightly rubbed her fingers against his Adam's apple. His eyes started glazing over as his mind showed him what he wanted to do and he swallowed. He half closed his eyes as she looked at him and sat up on her elbow. He watched her move closer when she kissed his lips and he sighed through his nose. Moving back, Louisa traced the edge of his lips with her fingertip and noticed the look in his eyes.

"Where did you go?"

"I didn't go anywhere. I just realized we never looked at the DVDs Rupert sent us."

"I wasn't sure if you wanted to."

"I would like to watch the first one," Will said. He watched her move the bedding back when she got up, walked to the table, picked up the laptop and the top jewel case and walked back to the bed. She got back under the bedding while she placed the laptop on her lap and turned the power on. She placed the DVD in the slot when the screen went black and she held the laptop up so Will could see the screen. The DVD started as they looked at the list of videos and he glanced at the list. "Uh, there isn't a video of his first Christmas."

"I saw that."

"Do you think he knows what Christmas is?"

"No," she said and he snorted a breath of air. "Will…"

"No, I'm fine," he said and she started the first video. They watched while Rupert appeared on the screen as he smiled then turned the camera around to show a newborn Alec.

"_Well, here he is,"_ Rupert said while Louisa placed her head against Will's right shoulder and Will smiled.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

The snow fell outside the window while Will sat at the desk and looked at the screen. He read the information when he leaned the back of his head against the headrest and sighed.

"Bloody hell," Will said.

"That's what I said when I saw this," Martin's voice said over the speaker.

"Who wrote this mess?"

"It was your replacement."

"And he believes the clients are going to agree to this?"

"Yes."

"Does he have a back-up proposal if they don't?"

"No," Martin said with a sigh.

"Wonderful."

"Do you think you can do anything?"

"Not in time," Will said when the door opened and Alec walked in the room. He knew he shouldn't be in the room when Will was working as he walked to the wheelchair and Will glanced at him. With barely a nod, he watched Alec carefully get onto his lap when he slid Will's arms around him and gently leaned back against his papa's chest.

"Are you alright?" Martin's voice asked after Will became silent.

"Yes, someone came in," Will said and Alec smiled up at him. Will wasn't sure if he should tell Martin about Alec when he sighed and looked at the screen. "Do you know about what's going on with Rupert?"

"What does that have to do with who came in?"

"Do you know?"

"Yes, we all know."

"Well, there is something you don't know. Rupert isn't the father of Alicia's son. I am."

"Damn."

"He said a bad word, Papa Bear," Alec said and Will smiled.

"Yeah, he did."

"Is that…?" Martin's voice asked.

"Yes, that was my son, Alec."

"Hi," Alec said and waved at the screen.

"Hello," Martin's voice said and Will imagined him smiling.

"What are you doing?" Alec asked, looking up at Will.

"We're trying to figure out what to do with that," Will said and Alec looked at the screen.

"Are you done?"

"No."

"But I want to show you something," he said and Will heard Martin softly laughing.

"What's so funny?" Will asked.

"Just remembering when my children were small and how they'd sometimes interrupt my business calls. Go and see what he wants. I'll see if I can't figure out what to do with this mess," Martin's voice said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll call you back once I do," Martin's voice said and he ended the call.

"Phone off," Will said and Alec gave him a worried look. Will was a little bit angry with him, but the sad look in his son's eyes ate away at his heart and he sighed.

"Are you mad at me?" Alec asked.

"Maybe just a little bit," he said when he flicked the joystick with his finger and turned the wheelchair around. They left the room when he saw Louisa sitting at the dining table and she noticed the look on Alec' face.

"I told him to wait," she said as the wheelchair came to a stop at the table and Will looked at the paper plates, cotton balls, scissors, some string, some buttons, a bottle of glue and cardboard paper. Alec got off his lap when he walked to Louisa and she lift Alec onto her lap.

"What is all this?" Will asked.

"Well, he wanted to go outside and make a snowman, but I told him we couldn't because you can't go out into the cold."

"No, I can't."

"Well, I decided we'd make you a special snowman."

Will looked at the snowman made out of three paper plates with cotton balls glued to them, carboard paper buttons, arms and hat and button eyes, nose and mouth. A warm feeling moved down his neck then vanished as he felt the tears in the corners of his eyes and Will gave them a sad smile.

"Do you like it?" Alec asked.

"I love it," Will said in a soft voice then flicked the joystick with his finger, turning the wheelchair around. "And I know just where I want him to go."

After Louisa picked up the snowman, they followed the wheelchair while Will went into the master bedroom and turned the wheelchair to face the wall across from the bed. He scanned the wall with his eyes when he found the right spot and dimples dented his cheeks while a smile spread across his face.

"Place it there," Will said as Louisa looked at the wall and tried to figure out where he was looking. She held the snowman against the wall as she looked at Will and he barely shook his head until she found the right spot. There was a small nail in the wall from a picture frame she had taken down after Alicia and Rupert had come to tell him they were getting married and she slid the small loop of thread on the top of the hat over the nail. She moved back as he looked at the snowman and Alec carefully climbed onto his lap. Carefully kneeling on Will's thighs, Alec slid his arms around Will's neck as they touched heads and Louisa blinked the tears from her eyes.

The windshield wipers moved the snow as the car stopped and Louisa got out. She locked the car door then quickly walked to the door and used her key to unlock the door. She was amazed how much snow had fallen over the last few days as she wiped her boots off on the mat and quickly went inside. She closed the door when she turned around and her eyes widened at the sight before her.

"What?!" she asked, looking at the fairy lights outlining the ceiling, the garland hanging over the sliding door frame, the glass jars of red and green candles, the plush snowmen sitting on the tables and a fully decorated artificial Christmas tree sitting near the French doors. "Will!"

"We're in the kitchen," Will called out as she placed her hat, coat and scarf on the pegs and removed her boots. She walked to the kitchen when she saw Christmas tea towels hanging off the oven handle and a snowman cookie jar sitting on the kitchen island. Will, Nathan and Alec were preparing dinner when Will flicked the joystick with his finger and was wearing a headband with felt antlers. "Surprise!"

"When did you do all this?!" Louisa asked, picking Alec up after he had run to her.

"We started shortly after you left," Nathan said. "Though some of the servants from the main house helped us with most of it,"

"Do you like it!?" Alec asked.

"Yes, but where did everything come from?" Louisa asked.

"Believe it or not, it's all mine," Will said with a wide grin which caused deep dents in his cheeks. "When I lived in Central London, I used to decorate my flat for Christmas, but, after my accident, I didn't want to. This year, I wanted to and asked Mother to get my things out of loft."

Louisa felt her heart slamming in her chest as she compared this Will to the depressed and angry Will Traynor she met in February when she lightly shook her head and smiled.

"Did you put fairy lights outside?"

"No," he said, barely shaking his head.

"Want to see my room?" Alec asked and they left the room. Will followed close behind them when they went into Alec' room and Louisa smiled at the fairy lights outlining the ceiling, the plush snowman sitting on the night table and some plush animals wearing Father Christmas hats sitting on the window sill.

"Did you decorate our room?" she asked, turning to face Will.

"Follow me," Will said as he flicked the joystick with his finger and they headed for the main bedroom. She looked at the glass jars with red and green candles sitting on the dresser and fairy lights outlining the ceiling and he glanced up at her. "Well?!"

"I love it!"

"We didn't light up the tree yet. Papa Bear said we had to wait until you came home," Alec said and they left the room, heading for the main room. Nathan walked out of the kitchen when he headed for the Christmas tree and Louisa stood next to the wheelchair. Alec was sitting on Will's lap as Nathan plugged in the fairy lights and Louisa smiled, lightly carded the back of Will's head. He smiled up at her as she nodded then carefully placed his arms around Alec and Alec gently leaned back against his papa's chest.

The van stopped at the curb while Louisa opened the door and got out of the van. She closed the door while walking around to the passenger side door, opened the door and removed Alec from the car seat. She patted the top of his head when she closed the door and they walked to the back of the van and she opened the doors. After pushed the button and stepping back, they watched the small lift lowering the wheelchair and Will gave them a smile. Louisa closed the doors after he had stopped the wheelchair near the curb and they headed for the ramp. Josie had been watching them from the doorway as she waved to them and Alec ran up the ramp. She picked Alec up as he hugged her then she moved back to allow Will and Louisa to enter the house.

"Tree and Thomas are in the dining room," Josie said as she helped Alec remove the snowsuit, boots, scarf, mittens and white knit cap. Nodding, Louisa got Will out of his snowsuit, boots, scarf, gloves and red knit cap and she smoothed his hair down.

"Dad called the other day and said you got a part time job," Louisa said while Josie smiled and placed Alec down onto his feet.

"It's just a few days a week at the card shop."

"Who's looking after Granddad?"

"Well, your dad is making enough money for us to hire a part-time nurse to come in during the day and Granddad seems to like her."

"That's great!" Will said. They went down the small hallway when they entered the dining room and Treena looked at them. Tommy was sitting in the highchair as he reached out for Will and she lifted Tommy out of the highchair, placing him on Will's lap. On the table were baking sheets, plastic bottles with colored sugar sprinkles, plastic bowls of jelly buttons, chocolate chips and other candies and small piping bags of icing. "Wow!"

"Kitty," Thomas said at the cat-like sound of Will's voice and Will smiled.

"Get those two in their seats and I'll go get the dough," Josie said when she went into the kitchen and Treena placed Thomas in the highchair while Louisa placed Alec in the booster chair. Will parked the wheelchair near the table as he pushed the button to raise the seat and Louisa sat on the chair next to him. Josie came out with two bowels of dough as she placed the bowls on the table then looked at them. "Who wants to start on the sugar biscuits and who wants to do the gingerbread?"

"Sugar!" Thomas said with his arms up and Treena softly laughed.

"Guess we're doing the gingerbread," Louisa said as she moved the bowl toward her and Alec looked at the brown dough.

"Can Papa Bear eat this?" Alec asked. Josie loved the name Alec called Will as she smiled at Will and Will arched his eyebrows up as he smiled.

"Yes, I can, but we have to bake it first," Will said then looked at Josie. "What do you want me to do?"

"You get to supervise," Josie said while she moved Thomas' sleeves up and Louisa moved Alec' sleeves up. Barely nodding, he watched Louisa start rolling out the dough and he breathed in the fresh scent of ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Will glanced Josie as she gave him a wink and he half-closed his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Louisa asked after seeing the look on his face and he heard the concern in her voice after opening his eyes.

"Yes, Clark, I'm fine," he said then looked over at the gingerbread men sitting on the baking sheet. Carefully, she took his right hand when she helped him pick up one of the jelly buttons and he sweetly smiled at her as she helped him decorate the gingerbread man.

The butler led Devon down the hallway when he opened the door to the den and she walked in the room. Rupert sat on a high back chair near the fire as he glanced at the fire and she saw how tired and worn out he looked.

"Hello," she said when he looked at her and she placed her hands behind her back. She knew she was the last person he wanted to see and he looked back at the fire.

"Hello," he finally said while she sat down on the chair across from him and placed her hands on her lap.

"Have you heard your wife and her parents were released from prison?"

"Yes, I have."

"Have you had any contact with them?"

"If you call getting divorce papers contact then, yes, I have."

"Oh," Devon said as she went silent and looked at the fire.

"How is Alec?" he asked after a few minutes.

"He's fine."

"What about Will Traynor?"

"What about him?"

"How is he handling all this?"

"I guess you can say he's handling it very well."

"Good," he said with a nod and Devon reached into her purse then took out her phone. She looked at the screen when she found what she was looking for and leaned forward to hand him her phone. "What is this?"

"Just something I thought you might want to see," she said and he reached for the phone. He sat back as he looked at the screen when he tapped his finger on the screen and watched Will and Alec playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey. He saw the smile on Will's face as Alec fed him some ice cream and softly laughed at the small birthday crown and the plastic sunglasses Will was wearing. He watched Alec opening his birthday presents while sitting on Will's lap and how sweetly Alec smiled up at him. Tears weld up in the corners of his eyes from watching Alec hug Will then he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and sighed. He handed her the phone back as she placed the phone back in her purse and he sat back in the chair.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Have you heard when the trial is going to court?"

"Even with the delay tactics from your soon-to-be ex-wife and her father, I believe it will go to court in July."

"I see," he said when a tall woman with grey hair and eyes came in the room and Devon noticed she was wearing a nurse's uniform. She then saw the look in Rupert's eyes as he lowered his head and the woman stood near the chair.

"I'm sorry, but you have to leave. Mister Freshwell needs his rest," the nurse said and he looked at Devon.

"I didn't know he was ill," Devon said, getting up.

"I'm not. They have me on a suicide watch," Rupert said. Devon nodded as she headed for the door when she turned to watch the nurse help Rupert to his feet. He seemed a little unsteady and Devon balled her hand into a fist as anger boiled inside her. Sighing, she headed for the front door as the sound of her high heels clicking on the tile flooring followed her and she left.

"You're making a mess!" Treena said and Louisa glared at her.

"I am not!" Louisa said.

"You have icing sugar all over the table!"

"You dumped the flour on the floor!" Louisa shouted back while Will smiled and the boys softly giggled. Snorting out a breath of air, Treena scooped up some of the icing sugar when she tossed the icing sugar at Louisa and Louisa gasped as the icing sugar hit her in the face.

"Ladies….," Will said with a warning tone, but fought hard not to laugh.

"Stay out of this!" Louisa and Treena snapped when Louisa scooped up some flour and tossed the flour at Treena, hitting her in the chest. Gasping, Treena scooped up a handful of peppermint buttons and tossed the peppermint buttons at Louisa, but she ducked. Louisa reached for the jelly buttons when she tossed the jelly buttons at Treena and the corners of Will's mouth curled up in a smile. Alec looked at the bowl of chocolate buttons when he scooped up a handful and tossed them at Thomas. Screeching, Thomas scooped the red sugar sprinkles as he tossed them at Alec, but the sugar sprinkles just hit the table and Will glanced from one to the other.

"Boys…," he said, giving them a stern look and Alec and Thomas placed their hands down.

"Sorry," Thomas said with a pout.

"Sorry, Papa Bear," Alec said while Louisa went around to the other side of the table, picked up the plastic bowl with the icing sugar and dumped the icing sugar over Treena's head. Treena blew out the icing sugar from her mouth while shaking her head and picked up the piping bag off the table.

"What is going on in here?!" Josie demanded as she stormed out of the kitchen. Startled, Treena squirted a large amount of icing from the piping bag and the icing hit Will's face.

"Will!" Louisa shouted and ran to the wheelchair. Will had his eyes closed as he breathed through his mouth and could feel the icing move down his face and neck. Some of the icing was oozing under the collar of his jumper, shirt and undershirt and Louisa reached over for some napkins then quickly wiped his face, praying none of the icing went up his nose. He opened his eyes as he tried hard not to laugh and licked some of the icing off his lips.

"You two clean up this mess. I'll take care of Will," Josie said, walking to the wheelchair and Louisa showed her how to turn the wheelchair on manual. She told Josie about the clean clothes in the basket under the wheelchair and Josie pushed the wheelchair down the small hallway. Granddad wasn't in his room as they headed for the bathroom and Will noticed the bathroom looked like a smaller version of his. He watched as Josie carefully pick him up, sat him on the shower chair, removed the jumper then unbuttoned the shirt and carefully slid the undershirt off of him. She glanced around him when she saw the scars going down his back and felt a cold chill move through her.

"Now I see why Alec calls you "Papa Bear"," she teased and he arched his eyebrows up while giving her a cheeky look. She knew the room was warm enough so Will could sit there only dressed to the waist as she used a washing flannel to wipe the icing off the jumper, used the stain stick she found in the small bag and placed the jumper on the counter. She repeated what she did to the shirt and undershirt when she looked at Will and noticed how thin he looked. Louisa had shown her a photo of what Will looked like before the accident and she moved closer with the washing flannel in her hand. Will watched while Josie washed the icing off his face, neck, chest and upper stomach when he thought of something and pursed his lips.

"Um, you need to check to see if any of the icing went up my nose."

"How do I do that?"

"Just lean the shower chair back as far as it will go and look up my nose," he said and she moved the shower chair enough so he was reclining at a slight angle.

"I can see a little bit," she said and he told her where the aspirator and antihistamines were and she cleaned the icing out of his nose. She helped him take a drink of water so he could swallow the antihistamines when he thought of something and frowned.

"The next thing you'll have to do is check to see if any of the icing is on the catheter tube."

"Right," she said, straightening the shower chair when she looked at his jeans and carefully unbuttoned the top. She moved the top of his jeans down when she saw the covering for the catheter tube and reached over for the blue plastic gloves. Louisa told her to put them on if she had to wash off the catheter tube or remove the covering over the catheter tube and Will gave her a small smile. She gently moved the covering up, but she didn't see any icing on the tubing. There was some on the covering as she carefully removed the covering and placed it in the biohazard bag next to the toilet. She placed a new covering over the catheter tube then removed the plastic gloves, placed them in the bio-hazard bag and buttoned the top of his jeans.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. I was just looking at the scars on your back," she said and he gave her a sad look. "Oh, none of that, Love."

"They don't repulse you?"

"No," she said, sliding her arms around his shoulders and he leaned his head against hers. Moving back, she picked up the clean undershirt while she looked at him and he looked a little breathless. "What's wrong?"

"I'm trying to laugh, but it's not coming out."

"What can I do to help?" she asked, placing the undershirt on the counter.

"I need you to push down on my diaphragm then push upward," he said as she did what he said and both of them broke out laughing.

"We better stop or you might get sick," she said, causing him to nod and she helped him get dressed. Helping him back into the wheelchair, they left the room and Josie lightly carded the back of his head. They stopped at the doorway to the dining room as he glanced at her and noticed she had a serious look on her face. A blank look appeared on his face while he flicked the joystick with his finger and they went into the dining room. Will secretly enjoyed the guilty looks on Louisa and Treena's faces, but it didn't couldn't stop him from giving Louisa a little wink and she sweetly smiled at him.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

"_Merry Christmas, Dear."_

"_Go away."_

"_Will…."_

"_I said __**go away**__!"_

"_Merry Christmas, Mate."_

"_Leave me alone."_

"_Cant. I have to get you up."_

"_What part of leave me alone don't you understand?!"_

"_So, it's going to be one of__** those**__ days…."_

Will's eyes snapped open as his mind replayed the last two Christmases and he made a deep sigh. He knew his parents and Georgina just wanted to make his being in the hospital for Christmas tolerable, and Nathan was just doing his job, but the thought of being like this made him feel anything, but festive. He glanced over at Louisa's side of the bed when he saw she was already up and he wondered why she hadn't woken him. A soft hushing sound came from the hallway as he closed his eyes and tried hard not to smile. Louisa came in the room with Alec in front of her as they headed for the bed and she picked him up then sat him next to Will. She walked around to her side of the bed when she sat down and gently brushed the hair of Will's eyes.

"Are you awake?" Louisa asked.

"It depends. What time is it?" Will asked, opening one eye.

"It's a little after eight," she said and he opened the other eye.

"And what time did he come in here to wake us up?"

"It was around six."

"Did you go back to bed when Lou told you it was too early to get up?" he asked as he looked at Alec and Alec shook his head.

"I slept in here with you," Alec said and Will looked at Louisa.

"Is that what you did when you woke your parents up at six on Christmas morning?"

"Yeah," Louisa said and he looked back at Alec.

"I did that, too."

"Lou said if I went back to sleep really, really fast, we can have special Christmas waffles for breakfast," Alec said and Will softly laughed.

"Wow!" Will said with a cat-like noise and she gently ruffled his hair before getting up and headed for the bathroom. She returned with his morning medication as she placed the bottles on the night table and removed the medical equipment and the medical file from the drawer.

"I sent a text to Nathan and told him we'd call as soon as you woke up," she said and Will glanced over at the laptop.

"Christmas is over where he is, right?" Alec asked while she gave Will the medication and wrote the information down in the file.

"Yeah, it is," Will said as Louisa went to get the laptop. Alec got under the covers with Will while she walked back to the bed, sat down, opened the laptop and pushed the power button. She opened the video chat window as she typed on the keyboard and they looked at the screen. The screen flickered for a few seconds then connected to Nathan's laptop and he smiled, giving them a little wave. He was sitting in bed with pillows propped up behind him and he was wearing a grey t-shirt and pajamas shorts.

"Merry Christmas," Nathan said.

"Merry Christmas," Will said.

"Did you take your medication?"

"I just gave it to him. I was going to do his vitals, but we decided to call you first," Louisa said.

"Just don't forget to take them," Nathan said with a smile.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" Alec asked.

"Yeah, Little Mate, I did."

"Did you get good presents?"

"Yep!"

"We haven't opened presents yet."

"Why not?"

"We had to wake up Papa Bear," Alec said, looking at Will and Will had his eyes closed. Will was trying to make snoring sounds, but it sounded more like little grunts and Nathan, Alec and Louisa laughed. "What are you doing?"

"Sleeping," Will said with a grin then opened his eyes.

"Well, this is a change from last year," Nathan said as he smiled and scratched the back of his head.

"What happened last year?" Alec asked.

"He was grumpy and didn't want to get out of bed."

"I didn't have a reason to," Will said and Louisa saw the sadness in his eyes.

"Are you going to be here for New Years?" Louisa asked, changing the subject.

"No. But I'm going to a party with some mates," Nathan said.

"Sounds like fun," Will said and Nathan nodded then yawned.

"Sorry. My nieces and nephews woke us up at dawn."

"This little guy tried to do the same with us," Louisa said and Alec giggled as she ruffled his hair.

"Did he go back to his own bed?"

"No, he crawled in bed with us."

"Why am I not surprised," Nathan said with a laugh then yawned again. "Well, I better get to bed. If I don't call you on New Year's Eve, Happy New Year."

"You, too," Will said and Nathan nodded then ended the video chat. Louisa turned the laptop off when she got up, placed the laptop on the table and Will gave her a blank look. "Can I get up now?"

"Not until I examine you," she said, walking to the night table and he sighed as he lightly shook his head. A few minutes later, the morning routine was done and Will was dressed as Louisa followed the wheelchair out of the room and they headed for the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas, Dear," Camilla said, watching the wheelchair coming to a stop.

"Merry Christmas," Will said while looking at the large Christmas tree and the fairy lights twinkled on and off. He noticed the modest pile of presents around the base of the Christmas tree as he glanced at her and she smiled. He was surprised when she slid her arms around his shoulders as she hugged him and he leaned his head against hers while make a content sigh. She moved back when he steered the wheelchair to the Christmas tree and leaned his head back against the headrest.

"Looking for something?" Georgina asked, walking closer and stood next to the wheelchair.

"Nope. I found it," Will said and she carefully sat on his lap.

"I'm glad. I missed the part of you that loved Christmas."

"Remember that one Christmas when the tree fell over?"

"It was coming right at me and you just stood there, shouting "Timber!"," she said and he softly laughed.

"You got out of the way."

"What about that Christmas we went skiing?"

"You, Mother and Father went skiing. I was in bed with the flu," Will said as he looked at the tree and she placed the palm of her hand against his chest. Flicking the joystick with his finger, he turned the wheelchair in circles as she giggled and Alec ran to the wheelchair.

"I want a ride!" Alec said and Georgina got off of Will's lap. She picked Alec up then placed him on Will's lap and Will made the wheelchair go around in circles. Watching her son and grandson laughing, Camilla leaned against Steven while they sat on the couch and Steven slid his arm around her shoulders.

"Well, this is a surprise," Steven said and she gave him a puzzled look.

"What is?" she asked and he smiled at her.

"After everything that happened, I was sure this year would have ended badly. I am so glad I was wrong," he said and she placed her arm around his waist.

"So am I," she said, watching Louisa take Alec off Will's lap then she helped Alec open his presents.

Bending her legs back, Devon settled on the couch when she reached over and picked the book one of her friends had sent her for Christmas. She was used to being alone on Christmas. Even when she was in foster homes, she always felt alone. It was true Christmas with her family wasn't the best, but her mother always tried to have one or two presents for her, her brother and sister and she wondered if her brother and sister even celebrated Christmas.

"Stop," she said with a sigh when she opened the book and started reading. The sound of her phone beeping made her put the bookmark between the pages as she placed the book on the coffee table then picked up the phone. She looked at the screen when she saw who was calling and arched her eyebrows down while she frowned. Pushing the button, she sat up and placed the phone against her right ear and silently prayed it wasn't an emergency. "Hello?"

"Hello," Louisa's voice said.

"We're not interrupting anything, are we?" Will's voice asked.

"No, I'm just spending a quiet Christmas at home."

"That sounds sad."

"I'm used to it,"

"Did Father Christmas leave you anything?" Alec' voice asked.

"He left me a few things," she said with a small smile.

"Want to know what I got?"

"Sure," she said and Alec told her what he got for Christmas. "Wow! That's a lot!"

"Lou said we have to take a few things back to the store because they don't fit."

"Yeah, that happens."

"Do you want to play one of my new games when you come see us next week?"

"Sure," she said and felt a lightness in her chest.

"Sorry to cut this short, but we have to go. Just wanted to call and wish you a Merry Christmas," Will's voice said.

"Merry Christmas," she said then ended the call and placed the phone on the coffee table. Getting up, she walked to the kitchen island when she picked up the photo frame as she looked at the photograph of Will, Louisa and Alec smiling at her and leaned against the edge of the counter while a smile spread across her face.

The van stopped at the curb as Louisa got out of the van and closed the door. Walking around to the passenger side, she opened the door and got Alec out of the car seat then closed the door. They walked to the back of the van when she unlocked and opened the doors then pushed the button. The small lift lowered the wheelchair as Will flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair moved toward the curb. After closing and locking the doors, Louisa placed Alec on Will's lap when they headed down the front walk and Will saw Josie standing in the doorway. She moved back so the wheelchair could go inside then hugged Louisa and softly smiled.

"Merry Christmas," she said as Louisa kissed her cheek and Will turned the wheelchair around to face her. Josie tried not to laugh about Will's face nearly being covered with the hood of the blue snowsuit and walked closer. She opened the hood as she moved the hood back and smoothed down his hair after taking the blue knit cap off his head.

"Thanks," he said and she helped him out of the snowsuit, gloves, scarf and boots. Louisa had helped Alec out of the snowsuit, mittens, blue knit cap, scarf and boots as Alec climbed onto Will's lap and they headed down the hallway, going in the main room. Will looked at the small Christmas tree decorated in bright ornaments and fairy lights, the small pile of presents and the plate of Christmas biscuits sitting on the coffee table and smiled. He steered the wheelchair to the couch while Granddad nodded at him then returned to the movie he was watching and Louisa walked closer, giving Granddad a hug.

"Where's Treena?" Louisa asked, looking at Josie.

"Believe it or not, she was called into work," Bernard said.

"On Christmas Day?!" she asked with wide eyes.

"That's what I said," Josie said when she heard Thomas crying and headed for the stairs. "She said she'll be home for dinner."

"Ok," Louisa said sitting on the couch next to Bernard.

"Do you want a biscuit, Papa Bear?" Alec asked, looking at the Christmas biscuits.

"Sure," Will said, flicking the joystick and stopped close enough to the coffee table so he could reach for one of the biscuits. Bernard watched Alec help Will eat the biscuit when Will looked at Louisa and saw her smiling.

"He really likes to help his dad, doesn't he?" Bernard asked.

"Oh yeah. He's a big help," Louisa said.

"Has he asked either of you about what happened to Will?"

"No."

"I can't imagine what it's like for him."

"He hated it for a long time. He even reminded Nathan, when we called to wish him a Merry Christmas, the reason he didn't get out of bed last Christmas was because he didn't have a reason to celebrate."

"Then he met you," Bernard said, patting her knee and Louisa shyly smiled.

"Dad…"

"No, you may not realize it, but you are a big part of all this. He had given up and was ready to die."

"How did you know about that!?"

"Your mum told me."

"Oh."

"As I was saying, he had given up yet here he is having Christmas dinner at the home of the woman he loves and is being fed a Christmas biscuit by the son he never knew he had. He would have never done either of those things if it wasn't for you."

Louisa felt like she was going to cry as she snuggled closer to her dad and he slid his arm around her. Will glanced over at her then gave her a wink and she smiled, placing her head against her dad's shoulder.

The snow fell outside the window while Rupert looked out at the darkness and his ghostly reflection shimmered on the glass. He glanced at the sunken cheeks, the dark shadows under the eyes and the dead look behind them.

"Maybe it would be better if you were a ghost," Rupert whispered then turned and looked at his family. His brothers and their families were watching television. His mother was in the kitchen, talking to the staff about dinner. And his father was in the den. Suddenly the tracking bracelet around his ankle started itching as Rupert leaned down to scratch his leg and sighed.

"Hey! Leave that alone!" one of his brother said.

"Yes. You don't want to go back to jail, do you?!" his other brother asked.

"Maybe he does," his third brother said with a snort. "His boyfriend might be missing him."

His brothers laughed as Rupert stalked out of the room then went upstairs when he saw the nurse assigned to him following him and he balled his right hand into a fist. He walked in his bedroom after turning on the light when he sat on the edge of the bed and the nurse closed the door. Going onto his back, Rupert looked at the ceiling when he looked at his phone sitting on the night table and reached over, picking the phone up. He pushed the button as the screen blinked on and he starting checking his messages. Most of the messages were from his so-called "friends" and a lot of the messages were cruel and demeaning. Suddenly he noticed an unknown number and was about to delete the message, but something told him to push the button. He looked at the screen when a photograph of Will and Alec appeared and both of them were smiling with their heads touching. Will was wearing a Father Christmas hat while Alec wore a headband with felt antlers and they were wearing matching red jumpers. **MERRY CHRISTMAS, MATE **was under the photograph as Rupert sighed and blinked the tears from his eyes.

"Merry Christmas," he whispered, turning the phone off and held the phone against his chest.

"I'm home!" Treena announced while closing the door behind her and Thomas came out of the main room, running to her. She picked him up then gave him a hug while Josie walked out of the dining room and Thomas placed his cheek against his mommy's shoulder.

"You're just in time. Dinner's ready," Josie said, taking Thomas from her and Treena removed her boots, coat, scarf, gloves and hat. She placed the scarf, hat and coat on the peg after tucking the gloves in the coat pocket and placed the boots on the drying mat. Treena followed her down the hallway when they walked in the dining room and she smiled at Will, Louisa and Alec.

"Merry Christmas," Treena said as she walked to the table and gently hugged everyone. She sat down while Josie placed Thomas in the highchair then went into the kitchen.

"I can't believe you had to go into work," Louisa said.

"Well, they were short-handed because three people came down with the flu."

"Have any customers?"

"A few," she said as Josie walked out of the kitchen and placed two wicker baskets with fresh rolls on the table. "Did any help, Mum?"

"No," Josie said then headed for the kitchen and Will glanced at the rolls.

"May I have a roll, please?" Will asked and Louisa reached over to pick a roll out of the wicker basket.

"Ah, no eating until we say grace!" Josie said as she brought out the bowl of mashed potatoes and the gravy boat then placed them on the table.

"But I'm hungry," Will said with a small pout.

"Me, too," Alec said and Thomas nodded. Josie looked at them as they gave her a sad puppy look when she sighed, laughed and shook her head.

"Alright. Just this once," she said as she headed back into the kitchen and Louisa and Treena gave Alec and Thomas a roll.

"That was sneaky," Louisa whispered while feeding Will and dimples dented his cheeks when he smiled and he gave her a wink. Josie brought in the bowls of carrots and corn mix and Brussel sprouts as she placed the bowls on the table then went back in the kitchen. Louisa noticed the look on Will's face while he looked at the Brussel sprouts and placed her hand on top of his. "What's wrong?"

"I can't eat that," Will whispered, barely nodding his head to the Brussel sprouts. She knew there was a list of gassy foods which Will couldn't eat as she patted his hand and Josie walked in the room with a tray with a roast on top.

"Now, who wants to say grace?" Josie asked while sitting down and looked at Bernard. He knew she was talking to him as he stood up, folding his hands in front of him, and closed his eyes. Closing their eyes, they listened to Bernard saying grace when Will noticed he had included him in the blessing and swallowed the lump in his throat. Will opened one eye while he glanced over at Thomas to see if he had his eyes closed, but Thomas was nibbling on the roll. He looked at Will while Will arched an eyebrow and Thomas quickly closed his eyes. Will smiled when Bernard ended grace and they opened their eyes.

"Right!" Bernard said as he rubbed his hands together. He picked up the carving knife and the serving fork when he looked at Will, put them back on the table, walked around to the wheelchair and Will gave him a confused look. "Want to help me?"

Will blinked his eyes a few times as he barely nodded his head and they went around to the other side of the table. Bernard helped Will hold onto the carving knife as they carved the turkey and Louisa used her phone to take a photo.

Louisa placed the medical file and the medical equipment in the drawer then closed the drawer and Will sighed. Moving the bedding back, she got in bed, snuggled next to him while Will glanced at her and she placed her head against his shoulder.

"That was fun," he said as she moved the bedding up and placed the palm of her hand on his chest.

"I'm glad you have a good time," she said, moving her fingers over his pajamas top.

"I was a little worried when Tommy wouldn't eat his vegetables. He normally does if I eat them."

"I can't believe you told him and Alec why you couldn't eat Brussel sprouts."

"Yeah, well, after I did, your dad started telling me which foods make him gassy," Will said and she softly laughed.

"Mum made it worse when she told you two to stop, but you kept going."

"If your granddad hadn't given us _The Look_, I think I would have been in real trouble. You know I have hard time when it comes to laughing."

"Yeah," she said with a nod when he made a soft sigh and she saw his eyelids were lowering. "I guess we better get some sleep. I have to get up early to take advantage of all the sales."

"Can I go with you?" he asked and she was stunned. Louisa knew he felt uncomfortable with people seeing him in the wheelchair so him asking to go shopping with her made her smile.

"Sure."

"Tell me something. What was the best present you ever got for Christmas?"

"It was spending Christmas with you," she said in a soft voice and he glanced at her.

"That was mine, too," he said while she placed her head against his chest then moved his right arm around her and listened to the gently beating of his heart.


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: Some bad things happen in this chapter and Alec learns what to do when Will gets sick.**_

Chapter Sixteen

"What are you doing?" Alec asked while Louisa zipped up the front of the snowsuit Will was wearing.

"I am getting Will ready to go shopping with us," Louisa said, placing the blue knit hat on Will's head.

"But it's cold out."

"It's not that cold," Will said, watching her pull the hood up.

"And, seeing how there's no one here to look after him, he has to come with us," Louisa said, kneeling down to zip the front of Alec' jacket.

"Do you think there will be enough room for the wheelchair plus what we're taking back?"

"Yeah," Louisa said when she placed her coat on and they headed for the door. Opening the door, she watched the wheelchair head for the van then closed and locked the door and headed to catch up with them. She opened the back doors when she pushed the button and the small lift lowered. Will steered the wheelchair into place as she locked the wheels into place and pushed the button. The small lift rose up then into the van when she climbed in the van and locked the wheelchair into place. She quickly kissed his lips then hopped down and closed then locked the doors. After securing Alec in the child seat, Louisa started the engine then looked at Will from the rearview mirror. He gave her a small nod as she smiled and the van headed down the driveway

The sliding doors hissed open while Louisa led the way and Will glanced at the Christmas decorations. Louisa did get some glares when she got out of the van after parking in the disabled space, but people walked off once she went around to the back and the small lift lowered the wheelchair to the ground.

"Right, we'll deal with you first then we'll take care of Alec' things," Louisa said while kneeling down next to the wheelchair and looked at Alec. "As for you, I want you to promise you'll not go wandering off."

"I promise," Alec said and Will flicked the joystick with his finger. They headed by the people while Louisa looked for the right clothing store and Will noticed the looks of pity some of the people gave him.

"Here we are," Louisa said while she pointed to the store front entrance and they went inside. Will realized the shop was one of the men's clothing establishments he frequented before the accident and noticed something he had never noticed before. The clothing racks were not spaced far enough apart for wheelchairs to move freely. They headed for the returns desk when a young man with dark hair and brown eyes glanced up from the computer screen and gave them a blank look.

"May I help you?" the salesman asked and Louisa placed the plastic bag with the clothes which didn't fit Will on the counter.

"Yes, my fiancé received these for Christmas, but they don't fit. I have the receipts and…"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think we'd have anything which will fit him."

"I beg your pardon?" she asked when an older gentleman walked closer and looked at them. She saw from his nametag he was the manager and he placed his hands behind his back.

"Is there a problem?" the older gentleman asked.

"I am trying to return these and he is denying me service."

"Do you have the receipts?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then what seems to be the problem?" the older gentleman asked, looking at the salesman.

"Sir, he's….," the salesman said and looked at Will.

"He is a customer."

"I understand that, Sir, but…."

"Go to my office. Now!" the older gentleman said and the salesman nodded, turned and walked away. Will could see the anger in Louisa's eyes as he sighed and the older gentleman cleared his throat. "I do apologize."

"Tell me something," Will said and the older gentleman looked at him. "Do you know who Steven Traynor is?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then you would remember what his son looks like," Will said when the older gentleman's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. With a nod, the older gentleman opened the bag and removed the clothes.

"Again, Sir, I am…"

"You know what? Never mind the exchange. We're going somewhere else," Will said when he flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair backed up. Louisa watched him leave the shop when she shrugged and went to catch up with him.

The food court was busy while Louisa watched Alec helping Will eat a forkful of salad and Will smiled. They didn't have any more trouble returning things, but she could tell Will was still upset about something and she sighed, sipping on the soda she had ordered.

"So," Will said after he swallowed and Louisa looked at him. "Where should we go next?"

"We still need to return those extra DVDs," Louisa said while someone walked closer and smiled at her.

"Hello, Lou," her former employer, Frank, said and her eyes widened. Smiling, she stood up when they hugged and he gently patted her back. Moving back, he looked at Will and Alec as Louisa saw the puzzled look on his face and he arched his eyebrows up. "Who is this then?"

"This is my fiancé, Will Traynor, and his son, Alec," Louisa said.

"Fiancé?! When did that happen?!"

"It was last month," she said then showed him her engagement ring.

"When's the wedding?"

"it's in March," Will said and Frank smiled.

"I am invited, aren't I?"

"Of course!" Louisa said with a smile and he hugged her again.

"Do you want to join us?" Will asked.

"Sure," Frank said while they sat down and he looked at Will. "Traynor, hunh? Are you any relation to Steven Traynor?"

"He's my father."

"Ah," Frank said with a nod while Alec reached for the water bottle and looked at Will.

"You need a drink?" Alec asked and Will opened his mouth so Alec could place the end of the straw in Will's mouth.

"He really likes helping his dad," Frank said, smiling, and Louisa nodded.

"Yes, he does," Louisa said, watching Alec wipe Will's mouth with a napkin. "Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Oh, yeah," Frank said with a nod. "My son brought the kids over. They're around here somewhere."

"So, you're hiding from them?" Will asked.

"Yeah. They're little terrors," Frank said while laughing when a soft buzzing sound made him look down and he removed his phone from his pocket. He looked at the text when he sighed and placed the phone away. "That's Maggie. Looks like my grandson has just made a mess."

"Well, it's nice see you again," Louisa said while they stood and hugged. Waving, Frank walked away and she sat down, but noticed the look on Will's face. She was worried he was getting sick when Will sighed and barely shook his head.

"I'm sorry," Will said.

'Why are you sorry?"

"If it wasn't for my family owning the castle, you would…"

"I would have just been existing instead of living," she said, placing her hand on top of his right hand. He knew she was right as she wrapped their fingers together and he moved his thumb against the side of her index finger.

"I'm still hungry. May I have some ice cream, please?" Alec asked and Will and Louisa softly laughed.

Louisa tapped her fingers on the steering wheel while she watched the back end of the car in front of her and Alec was sleeping in the car seat. She glanced at Will as he looked straight ahead and she felt a knot building in her stomach.

"Alec' sleeping," she said in a soft voice.

"Well, it was a long day," Will said and she noticed the cold tone to his voice.

"Will…"

"Sorry, Clark, I'm just tired."

"Why don't you close your eyes?" she asked and he blinked his eyes a few times.

"No, I can wait until we get back."

"Are you sure nothing's wrong? I'm still a little ticked off with how we were treated in that shop."

"So am I. That's why I left."

"Why did the manager act so shocked when he figured out who you were?"

"My father is a regular customer,"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"If he found out about how I was treated, my father would stop going there and so would his friends."

"Why?"

"Because stores like that rely on reputation…."

"And a bad reputation is bad for business."

"Exactly," he said as she lightly tapped the steering wheel and Will leaned the back of his head against the headrest. Suddenly, he felt a tiny stab of pain moving over his shoulder then up his neck and he closed his eyes.

"_No. Not now,"_ he thought then gave Louisa a little smile after he opened his eyes when she looked at him from the rearview mirror and she went back to looking at the back of the car in front of the van.

The door opened while the wheelchair moved inside and Louisa closed the door behind her. She helped Alec off with the boots, mittens, blue knit hat and jacket when he ran to the wheelchair and looked at Will. Will had dozed off at some point, but he woke up before they arrived at the annex and had told Louisa he was fine after they got out of the van.

"Lou, come quick! Something's wrong with Papa Bear!" Alec said as she walked to the wheelchair and knelt down.

"Will, are you ok?" Louisa asked. Will tightly closed his eyes while the pain moved across his shoulders and up his neck and Louisa stood up. She moved the hood down when she removed the blue knit cap, moved her fingers along his cheek and felt the heat coming from his skin. "Oh no."

"What's wrong?" Alec asked. Louisa removed Will's boots then opened the snowsuit and turned the wheelchair on manual. They headed for the main bedroom when she parked the wheelchair and Alec got onto the bed.

"You know Will can't go out in the cold, right?"

"Yeah. Nathan said he gets too hot," he said while Louisa moved the bedding back then carefully picked Will out of the wheelchair. Alec watched her place Will onto the bed when she started undressing him and Will made a soft moan.

"That's' because the part of him which keeps him warm or cool isn't working," Louisa said, carefully moving Will's legs under the bedding and moved the bedding up to Will's shoulders. Will tried to keep his eyes open as he glanced at Alec and Alec tried hard not to cry.

"Hey, Buddy," Will said in a soft voice and Alec looked at him. "I'm going to be ok."

"Promise?" Alec asked while Louisa moved Will forward, rearranged the pillows then laid Will against the pillows.

"Promise," he said, watching Louisa go to get the fan and hit the switch to turn the fan on. She went into the bathroom when she opened the medicine cabinet and got out the right medications. She quickly left the room when she walked to the bed and Will had his eyes closed.

"Will," she said, watching him open his eyes and he tried to smile. She gave him the medication then got out the medical equipment and started examining him.

"Is he ok?" Alec asked.

"Yes, he's going to be fine," she said and Will closed his eyes. She checked his vitals again then wrote the information in the medical file and placed the medical file and the equipment back in the drawer. "Now, I need you to help me cool Will down."

"Ok," Alec said with a nod and she went back into the bathroom. She wet two wash flannels with cool water then went back into the room and headed for the bed. She handed one of the wash flannels to Alec then slid the other wash flannel behind Will's neck and Will made a little sigh.

"Place that here," she said, pointing to Will's forehead and Alec placed the wash flannel on Will's forehead. Will sighed a second time as he tried to open his eyes and smiled.

"That feels nice," Will said in a sleepy voice.

"Go to sleep."

"Ok."

Will closed his eyes when he drifted off to sleep and Alec looked at Louisa.

"Come on," Louisa said, removing the wash flannels and placed them on the night table. She lifted Alec off the bed when she sat him on the wheelchair then moved the bedding up to Will's shoulders. She picked Alec up when they walked out of the room and Louisa blinked the tears out of her eyes.

"Don't cry, Lou," Alec said and she lightly kissed his cheek then headed down the hallway.

Louisa wasn't sure how to tell Camilla about what happened while looking at her phone when she sighed, pushed the button and held the phone to her right ear. She had sent a text to Camilla to tell her where they were going and she looked out the window.

"Hello, Dear, how did the shopping trip go?" Camilla asked.

"It went pretty well."

"Pretty well? Did you have any problems?" Camilla asked with a cold tone.

"Nothing I couldn't handle."

"I see," she said then paused. "Why do I have a feeling you're keeping something from me?"

"Uh….," Louisa said, turned and looked at the master bedroom.

"Louisa, what's wrong?" Camilla asked with concern in her voice.

"Will had an AD attack after we came home," Louisa said and waited for Camilla to start yelling.

"Did you do what Nathan instructed you to do when he does have an AD attack and Nathan is not there?"

"Yes, I did."

"Is my son alright?"

"Yes."

"Are you blaming yourself for something my son wanted to do?" Camilla asked and Louisa swore she was smiling.

"Yes."

"Here is what you should do. Stop feeling guilty and remember my son never changes his mind once he decides he wants to do something. Well, there was that one time...," Camilla said as they laughed and Camilla ended the call. Turning the phone off and putting the phone in her jeans pocket, Louisa walked to the doorway then smiled at Alec snuggled next to Will as they slept and she walked to the bed. Louisa checked to see if Will's temperature had gone up then sat down at the edge of the bed and watched them sleep.

"She's right, Lou. You have nothing to feel guilty about," Nathan said while Louisa looked out the window and watched the snow falling. She had called him the following day and she silently admitted she wished he was there.

"I know, but it's still frightening when he gets like that," Louisa said.

"I've been doing this for years and it still surprises me when it happens. Anyway, what you have to remember is this was_ his_ idea to go with you."

"Yeah, the only other time he suggested going out anywhere was when we went to the castle and that was only because he wanted to look out at the view one last time," she said with a sigh.

"But it wasn't for the last time, was it?"

"No," she said when the alarm on her watch beeped and she looked at the time. "Sorry. I have to go check Will."

"Ok."

"Bye," she said then ended the call, put the phone in her jeans pocket and headed for the master bedroom.

Louisa headed for the bed when she placed the plastic cup with the protein shake on the night table and brushed the hair out of Will's eyes. He made a soft sigh while his eyes opened and he looked at her blurry image. His eyes focused while he noticed she wasn't moving and he noticed the worried look on her face.

"Stop," he said with a slight crack to his voice.

"Stop what?" she asked.

"Stop looking so guilty," Will said, arching an eyebrow.

"I not feeling guilty."

"Good. I'm the one who should feel guilty. I should have told you I was feeling off while we were in the van."

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't want to scare Alec."

"You did scare him," she said, crossing her arms under her breasts. "Though he wasn't as scared as I thought he would be."

"That's because Nathan and I talked to him about what happens when I get an AD attack. We even practiced what to do if I have one."

"That would explain it," she said with a nod then looked at the protein drink. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Yes. Please," he said and she helped him take a few sips before placing the plastic cup back on the night table. She removed the medical file and the medical equipment when she checked his vitals and wrote the information in the medical file. "Where is Alec?"

"He's in bed," she said, placing the medical file and the medical equipment in the drawer, closed the drawer and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I thought he'd be sleeping in here."

"He did sleep in here last night."

"How long have I been sleeping?"

"It's been two days," she said then and she stood up and he frowned.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm just going to get ready for bed," she said, heading for the bathroom. She came back a few minutes later and was wearing a pair of blue and pink striped flannel pajamas. She saw he had his eyes closed as she carefully crawled under the bedding, turned the light off and snuggled next him. Will made a soft moan and drifted off to sleep while she placed her head against his shoulder and looked out the window, watching the snow falling.

_31 December_

The sunlight brightened the room while Will opened his eyes and glanced over at Louisa sleeping next to him. She had her hand on his shoulder as her fingers twitched and some of her hair was in her face. He watched her sleeping until he made a little moan and Louisa's eyes snapped open.

"What's wrong!?" Louisa asked, sitting up and touched his cheek with her fingers.

"Nothing's wrong. I was yawning," Will said, smiling and deep dimples dented his cheeks. She leaned over to kiss his lips as he sighed through his nose and she placed her hand against his chest. Moving back, she got out of bed then went into the bathroom and he looked at the ceiling. "Clark, what do you want to do for New Years?"

"I guess we'll be staying home. You're still sick."

"I know, but we have to do _something_ to celebrate," he said while watching her walk out of the bathroom with the morning medications and she placed the medication on the night table.

"If we had a television in here, I would make us some nibbles and we could watch the ball drop," she said then gave Will the medication as he watched her and she brushed the hair out of his eyes. "You need a haircut."

"You noticed," he said, arching his eyebrows up and she giggled. Neither of them noticed Alec walking in the room when he crawled up onto the bed as he carefully moved over Will's legs and settled between them. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Alec said and Louisa removed the medical equipment out of the drawer after writing the information in the medical file. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes," Will said and Alec took hold of Will's right index finger. They watched Louisa examine Will then she placed the medical equipment back in the drawer and wrote down the information in the medical file.

"Can he get up?"

"No, I think he needs one more day in bed," Louisa said and Will gave her a sad puppy look. She was getting used to the look as she shook her head, lifted Alec off the bed and headed for the doorway. "Want to help me make him breakfast?"

"Yeah," Alec said while they left the room and Will looked up at the ceiling. He made a soft sigh as Louisa and Alec walked back in the room when she stood next to the bed and he gave her a puzzled look.

"Did you forget something?" he asked.

"Yeah, I forgot how weak I am when my boys give me the sad puppy look. One of you is bad enough. Two of you and I give in," she said and she placed Alec down on the bed next to him then went to get his clothes and Will gave Alec a wink.

Louisa placed her head against Will's shoulder while holding the laptop in her hands and they watched the ball slowly twirling downward and the people on the screen were cheering. The ball was shimmering in bright colors and the clock was counting down to zero.

"I saw that live once," Will said and she glanced at him.

"When?" Louisa asked.

"It was two years before my accident. I was in New York on business and the client asked if I would like to stay to watch the ball drop."

"It must have been a madhouse."

"It was. And cold! I thought I was going to freeze solid," he said with a grin when the screen under the ball flashed 2010 and he glanced at Louisa. "Happy New Year, Clark."

"Happy New Year," she said, placing the laptop on the bed and leaned closer. Her lips tasted sweet as she kissed him and Will loved the feeling of her fingers moving through his hair. She moved back then looked down at Alec sleeping next to Will's right side as she carded the top of Alec' head and Alec sighed, but he didn't wake up. "Guess someone couldn't stay awake."

"I guess not."

"Want me to move him?"

"No," he said with a small shake of his head. She typed on the keyboard when she found a video of the New Year's fireworks in London and pushed the button. They watched the video as she looked at Will and he gave her a sweet grin.

_**A/N: Hannah, Will and Alec will talk about his accident in Chapter 23 and they do take Alec with when they get married. So they do have a small family holiday. :)**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: Sorry for the delay. My computer died. **_

Chapter Seventeen

Devon sat at the desk while reading Alec' file and placed the side of her head in her hand. She looked at the framed photo of Will, Alec and Louisa when she smiled and picked the frame off the desk. The door opening caused her to put the frame down while Benjamin walked in and headed for the desk.

"Hello," she said while he sat down on the chair in front of the desk and crossed one leg over the other.

"Hello," he said and she noticed the concern in his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"I just received a call from Rupert Freshwell's solicitor," he said and she waited for him to continue. "He's in the hospital."

"Rupert Freshwell is in the hospital?"

"Yes, his nurse found him on the floor this morning."

"Was it a suicide attempt?"

"No, it was a heart attack."

"Shit," she said, leaning back in the chair. "Is he going to be alright?"

"His solicitor didn't say, but he is petitioning the court to have the charges dropped due to his ill health."

"Can they do that?"

"Yes, they can," he said, uncrossing his leg and leaned forward while placing his lower arms on his thighs. "And, if the charges are dropped, it means Alec Freshwell will have to be given back to his parents."

Devon looked at the framed photo of Will, Louisa and Alec when she sighed and Benjamin saw the sadness in her eyes. She had told him about Will being Alec' biological father, as well as showing him the letter from Rupert and the other things he had sent her, but the thought of having to tell Will he might have to send Alec back to his mother made her feel ill.

"Devon?"

"Sorry. I was trying to figure out how I am going to tell them," she said and picked up the frame.

"Is that a photo of Mister Traynor and Alec?" he asked and she handed him the frame. He looked at the photo of Will, Alec and Louisa when he smiled and placed the frame on the desk. "Now I get it."

"You get what?"

"In all the years I have known you, you have _never _gotten close to any client. They were just cases. You did what had to be done then walked away. But this…? This is different. Here we have a child who is being treated like someone's personal punching bag and a man who was denied knowing his child for nearly four years and you are going to do your damnedest to make sure they stay together."

"Is that so wrong?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "I've done it myself. The thing _you_ have to prepare yourself for is the fallout."

"I am prepared."

"Tell me something. Why this case?"

"You just said you understood."

"I understand what you're doing, but not _why_ you're so protective of them."

"I… I like them," she said and he gave her a little smile. "They are the first family to treat me like someone who is trying to help them and not some monster."

"Come on. None of your other…."

"They practically begged me to let Alec stay that first day and I let them!"

"I remember you telling me that. You never did that before."

"No, I haven't. The next thing they did was invited me to stay for dinner once I told them the results of the paternity test. Any other family would have practically shoved me out the door."

"That's a little harsh."

"It's the truth! Another thing they did was invite me to Alec' birthday party! _None_ of my other clients ever did that."

"Well…"

"This…," she said, pointing to the frame. "This was my Christmas present from them and they called me on Christmas Day to wish me a Merry Christmas. They also called and wished me Happy New Years. _None_ of my other clients have _ever_ done that."

"Then we better make sure the charges aren't dropped," Benjamin said as he stood up and headed for the door then left the room.

_10 January_

The sunlight lit up the room while Will sighed and blinked his eyes open. He glanced over to see Louisa was already up and he looked at the ceiling. He heard the sound of soft giggling in the hallway as he smiled and glanced over at the doorway. Louisa, Nathan and Alec walked in the room while Alec held onto a glass of orange juice in both hands and the plastic straw lightly swirled back and forth.

"Aw, he's awake," Alec said with a pout and Will softly laughed.

"Morning," Will said while Alec headed for the bed and reached up to place the glass on the night table. He climbed onto the bed when he sat next to Will and took hold of his left index finger.

"Happy birthday," Louisa said as Will watched her walking toward the bed and she held a tray in her hands. She placed the tray on his lap while Nathan headed for the bathroom and Will looked from her to Alec then he frowned.

"_Happy birthday, Dear."_

"_What's so happy about it?"_

"_You're alive."_

"_I wish I wasn't."_

"_William!"_

"_Happy birthday, Mate."_

"_You do know this is my last birthday, don't you?"_

"_Yeah, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't celebrate it."_

"_Go away."_

"Will?" Louisa asked as he blinked then saw the concern in their eyes. Will made a small sigh as Louisa moved his left arm so Alec could snuggle next to him and Will smiled down at his son.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about my last two birthdays," Will said and Alec looked up at him.

"Didn't you have fun?" Alec asked.

"No, I didn't," he said as Nathan walked out of the bathroom and headed for the bed. Louisa moved the tray out of the way when Nathan gave him the morning medications then wrote down the information in the medical file. "Yuck."

"Happy birthday to you, too," Nathan teased and Will smiled. After he finished examining Will, he wrote the information in the medical file and Louisa placed the tray on Will's lap. Will looked at the plate of pancakes with slightly crooked banana smiling faces on them, egg white scrambled eggs and a bowl of vanilla yogurt and he licked his lips.

"I helped make the faces," Alec said.

"You did?!" Will asked, wide eyed, and Alec nodded. Louisa cut a slice of the pancakes when she fed him and Will chewed, swallowed then puckered his lips. She moved closer to kiss him as Alec giggled and a wide grin spread over Nathan's face.

"Are you sure my mother said this is what we're supposed to wear?" Will asked while looking in the mirror and Louisa brushed some of his hair behind his left ear. He was wearing a dark blue long sleeve silk tunic with silver Chinese lettering printed on it, dark blue silk trousers and black leather sandals on his feet and Louisa was wearing a red long sleeve silk tunic with gold Chinese letter printed on it, white silk trousers and white leather sandals. Louisa had given him a haircut and a shave and her hair was pulled back then tied with a black leather cord.

"Yes. She said something about recreating your twenty-fifth birthday party," she said and he pursed his lips.

"I never had a twenty-fifth birthday party."

"Why not?"

"I had gone skiing with some friends and ended up in the hospital with a broken leg, two broken ribs and a broken wrist after I had gone off a snow drift."

"Ouch," she said while Alec ran in the room and he was wearing a red long sleeve silk tunic with white dragons printed on it, red trousers and was holding the white leather sandals in his hands. "Need some help, Sweetie?"

"Yes, please," Alec said, holding up the white leather sandals. He climbed onto Will's lap then she helped place the sandals on Alec' feet and Alec gave her a hug. Nathan appeared in the doorway when he leaned against the doorframe and he was wearing a green long sleeve silk tunic with Chinese lettering printed on it, white silk trouser and white leather sandals.

"Ready to go?" he asked and Will barely nodded his head.

"Lady said the passageway is nice and warm so you can go to the party without a blanket," Alec said, pointing to the doorway. Will loved what he called Camilla, but the anger from him not being able to call her "Grandmother" or "Nan" caused a knot to build in his stomach.

"_Stop,"_ Will thought as he watched his son lean carefully against his chest and Will flicked the joystick with his finger. The wheelchair headed down the hallway as Louisa and Nathan followed behind it and they left the annex. The snow fell outside the windows of the passageway when they came into the kitchen and the smells in the air made Will's mouth water.

"What smells so good?" Will asked.

"Dinner," Amanda teased and he laughed.

"What are we having?"

"You'll have to wait and see," the cook said and he gave her a sad look.

"But it's my birthday."

"Shoo!" she said, wagging a wooden spoon at him and he smiled, flicked the joystick with his finger and they left the kitchen. Shaking her head, the cook went back to work and Amanda glanced at her.

"What's so funny?" Amanda asked.

"Oh, I was just thinking about his birthday last year. The poor dear was so depressed and didn't want anything to do with celebrating it. His mother had to literally drag him out of the annex and go to the party she had planned for him. This? This reminds me of how things used to be before his accident. He loved driving me crazy about what I was making him for dinner when he'd come home for his birthday."

"Oh," she said with a nod and went back to what she was doing. She thought back to the family she worked for before coming to work for the Traynors and how their son's birthday celebration turned into a disaster after he threw a fit. Sighing, Amanda shook her head then smiled and placed the scallions she had chopped into the soup.

"Wow!" Will said with a cat-like noise while they entered the dining room and Louisa smiled. A red linen tablecloth was spread over the table with red Chinese paper lanterns decorating the walls and golden Chinese paper fans sat along the center of the table. Steven was sitting at one head of the table while Camilla sat at the other end and both of them were wearing green long sleeve silk tunics with white Chinese letter on them, white silk trousers and white leather sandals.

"Happy birthday, Dear," Camilla said as he steered the wheelchair to the table and Will smiled.

"Thank you, Mother," he said with barely a nod and Louisa sat on the chair next to him. He looked at Georgina and Treena sitting across from him and they were wearing white long sleeve tunics with gold Chinese flowers printed on them, black silk trousers and black leather sandals. Both of them had their hair up and held up with wooden pins.

"Will! Look! Jammies!" Thomas said and Will looked at him. Thomas was wearing a powder blue long sleeve silk tunic with pandas printed on it, powder blue silk trouser and white leather sandals and a small plush toy panda was sitting on the highchair table. Bernard and Josie were wearing light green long sleeve silk tunics with white Chinese lettering printed on them, white silk trousers and white leather sandals and Granddad wore a gray long sleeve silk tunic with black Chinese lettering and he gave Will a small smile and a nod of his head. Will glanced over at Devon sitting next to Nathan and she was wearing a black long sleeve silk tunic with white flowers printed on it, white silk trousers and black leather sandals. She gave him a little smile as he barely nodded his head and Camilla picked up a small hammer. She tapped the small hammer on the little silver gong sitting on the table and the door to the kitchen opened. Amanda brought in the cart as she headed for the table and placed small plates with baked wontons stuffed with a cream cheese filling, egg rolls and crab Rangoon on the table. She served the food as Will barely nodded his head when she placed the plate in front of him and she pushed the cart back in the kitchen.

"What these?" Alec asked, while pointing to the Rangoon and Louisa looked at them.

"They're little pastries with cream cheese inside," Louisa said.

"Are you allowed to eat these, Papa Bear?"

"Yes, I can," Will said.

"They do have garlic and green onions in them, Mate," Nathan said.

"I don't think there's enough in them to hurt me," Will said and Louisa helped him take a bite. He half closed his eyelids as he savored the smooth tastes of the cream cheese and the slight tang of the spices on his tongue then chewed and swallowed. He opened his eyes then opened his mouth for another bite and she slid a small piece into his mouth.

The next course consisted of either wonton soup or egg drop soup and Thomas frowned as he looked at the yellow liquid in the bowl in front of him.

"Ew," he said and pushed the bowl away from him.

"What's wrong, Tommo?" Louisa asked as she fed Will some wonton soup.

"Yucky," he said, pointing at the bowl.

"No, it's not," Alec said as he looked at the soup in his bowl. "Mandy said the soup is made from eggs. It's really good."

Thomas looked at the bowl when he moved the bowl to him, picked up and spoon and tried some of the soup. Will smiled at the happy look on Thomas' face and Thomas finished the soup.

"More," Thomas said, holding the bowl up to Treena.

"Maybe later. You need to save room for dinner," Treena said and he placed the bowl back on the tray.

The main course was long noodles with steamed vegetables and chunks of chicken for the boys, steamed vegetables, rice and chunks of chicken for Granddad and Will and spicy orange beef or chicken on rice with steamed vegetables for the others. There was also tea served in white tea cups with blue flowers painted on them and the boys and Will had glasses of juice. Will glanced over at the spicy orange chicken Louisa was eating when he gave her sad look and she felt her heart melting. She knew he couldn't eat the spicy chicken, but it was his birthday and she placed a tiny bite of the spicy chicken in his mouth. He felt the tingle and soft burn on his tongue when he started chewing, swallowed and the soft burn went down his throat then vanished.

"Thank you," he whispered and she helped him take a drink of water. He opened his mouth again, but she shook her head and he frowned. She placed some steamed carrots in his mouth as he angerly chewed then swallowed and arched an eyebrow.

"What's wrong, Will?" Georgina asked after she finished eating.

"He's mad because I won't give him another bite of my spicy chicken," Louisa said,

"He can have some of mine."

"No," Camilla said with a stern look.

"But it's my birthday," Will said with a small pout.

"Yes, Mother, it's his birthday. Can't he have one more bite?" Georgina asked.

"Both of you behave or you will leave the table and go to your rooms," Josie said without looking at them and Treena and Louisa tried hard not to laugh. Devon also found it hard not to laugh as she wiped her mouth with the napkin and shook her head.

"Do you want some of my noodles, Papa Bear?" Alec asked and Will glanced at him.

"Yeah," Will said as he flicked the joystick with his finger to moved the wheelchair back and Louisa got up to move the chair so he could sit next to Alec. Alec swirled some of the noodles on the fork then fed his papa and Will chewed, swallowed and noticed the noodles had a slight tangy taste to them. Louisa wiped his lips as he smiled and Alec smiled back. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Will!" Thomas said as he held up the fork and long strands of noodles dangled from the fork. They watched Will steer the wheelchair to the highchair while Treena swirled a few noodles onto the fork and Thomas fed him.

"Alright. That is enough," Camilla said as Will steered the wheelchair back to his spot and Louisa leaned over to kiss his lips then sat down. A few minutes later, Amanda brought the cart out with the birthday cake on top and Will's eyes widened when he saw the cake was in the shape of the Chinese dragon with red scales.

"Wow!" he said with a cat-like tone and she placed the plate with a smaller cake in front of him. White and red wax candles shaped as a three and a four were on the top of the cake as he looked at the candles then realized he wasn't able to blow the candles out.

"Don't worry," Louisa whispered. "I'll help you."

Amanda lit the candles as he looked at the flames and they sang the birthday song. He glanced at Louisa when he closed his eyes, made a wish, opened his eyes and breathed in as much as he could. He felt her breath against his cheek as they blew out the candles and the others cheered. Louisa used the fork to break off a corner of the small cake when she fed him then placed her forehead against his and he sweetly smiled at her.

"Miss Sharpe," Will called out as Devon put on her coat then turned to look at him. She knew she had to tell him and Louisa about Rupert, but she didn't want to ruin his birthday. Will stopped the wheelchair near her as she sighed and Will slowly blinked. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is fine," she said, but he arched an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?"

"There is something I need to talk to you about, but it can wait until next week."

"Is it that bad?" he asked with a puzzled look.

"Yes, it is," she said with a nod and he moved the wheelchair closer so she could place her hand on top of his right hand. He waited for her to speak as she shook her head then sighed. "No, I can't. I don't want to spoil your birthday."

"Tell me," he said and she saw the look in his eyes.

"It has to do with Rupert Freshwell."

"What happened to him?"

"He's in the hospital."

"What?!" he asked with a shocked look.

"It happened three days ago. His nurse…"

"Why did he need a nurse?"

"They had him on a suicide watch after he had left the country."

"He what?!"

"He did what we call a runner. He got hold of fake identification as well as a fake passport and went to Australia. He was caught a few days later and brought back here."

"Did he end up in prison?"

"Yes, but he was released on bail and put on a watch."

"Why is he in the hospital?"

"He had a heart attack," she said and Will swore his heart had jumped in his chest.

"Is he…? Is he going to be alright?"

"We don't know. All we know is his parents are trying to get the charges dropped due to his ill health."

"And what does that mean in regards to Alec?"

"If the charges are dropped, he would have to go back to his parents."

"I…see," Will said and she sighed. His face had fallen and his eyes had darkened.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you this," she said with a sigh and he looked at her.

"No, I am glad you aren't keeping me in the dark."

"If they do drop the charges," she said as she knelt down next to the wheelchair and placed her hand on his right knee. "I swear my agency will do whatever it takes to get you custody of Alec."

"I appreciate that, but…"

"No, I will not allow that…that bitch to do this to you!" she said and he saw the truth in her eyes. He didn't know why she was so dedicated with helping him, but he wasn't going to argue and she saw the dimples denting his cheeks when he smiled.

"Thank you," he said with a small nod and she stood up.

"Well, I better go. It's a long drive."

"That's what I came here to talk to you about. It looks like it's really snowing out there and my mother insists you stay the night in one of the guest rooms," Will said and her eyes widened.

"Are you sure it's alright?!"

"Yeah," he said then flicked the joystick to turn the wheelchair around. "Want to help us get Alec and Tommy to bed?"

"Sure," she said when she placed her hand on his left shoulder and they left the room.

Louisa helped Will drink some water when she placed his head against the pillows and he made a small sigh. His stomach had waited until she had put him to bed before rebelling against the spicy food he had eaten, but he didn't care and she brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"Go on, Clark. Say it," he said and her eyebrows arched down after she frowned.

"Say what?" she asked, placing the medical file and the medical equipment in the drawer.

"Say I told you so," he said with a blank look and she laughed.

"No, I won't do that," she said as she moved the bedding back and got under the bedding with him. She turned the lights off then snuggled next to him and slid her hand over his stomach. Even though he couldn't feel it, he admitted he was feeling better and sighed.

"I was talking with Miss Sharpe and she told me Rupert is in the hospital."

"What's wrong with him?"

"He had a heart attack."

"Oh no! Is he going to be alright?!"

"She didn't say, but his solicitor is trying to get the charges dropped due to his ill health."

"What will happen if they do get the charges dropped?"

"She said Alicia will get Alec back," he said then went silent.

"Oh."

Louisa and Will knew there was a chance Alicia would get Alec back, but the idea of never seeing him again made both of them feel ill and angry.

"I have a feeling your mother will do whatever it takes to make sure_ that_ doesn't happen," she finally said and he glanced at her.

"You're right," he said with a small nod then went silent. "I want to go see Rupert."

"Why?"

"I just feel like I need to."

"Do you know which hospital he's in?"

"Yes," he said and she placed her hand against his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"Yes," he said and she snuggled closer. Moving the bedding up, she placed her head against his shoulder then closed his eyes and Will looked up at the ceiling. He silently prayed he'd find the right things to say to his former best friend then closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: Two chapters in one day to make up for the delay.**_

Chapter Eighteen

_Central London -_ _Saint Michael's Hospital_

The doors hissed open as Louisa walked next to the wheelchair and they headed for the reception desk.

"Hello. We are here to see Rupert Freshwell," Will said.

"Are you family?" the nurse asked.

"No."

"I am sorry, but only family is allowed to see him," the nurse said when Alice Freshwell walked to the reception desk and frowned.

"William?" she asked and he turned the wheelchair around to look at her.

"Hello," he said, barely nodding his head.

"What are you doing here?" she asked then looked at Louisa. She had been introduced to Louisa at the wedding, but she couldn't remember her name and Will glanced from her to Louisa then back.

"May I introduce my fiancé, Louisa Clark," he said and Alice's eyes slightly widened.

"Oh, yes, of course. We met at my son's wedding."

"Pleased to see you again," Louisa said.

"I'm here to see Rupert," Will said. "I heard he had a heart attack."

"Yes, he did," Alice said.

"Would it be alright for me to go up and see him?"

"Well, he is resting at the moment, but I don't think he'd mind," she said and they headed for the lift. She pushed the button as she looked at Will and wondered if she should tell him about what had been going on. The lift doors opened as they went inside the lift car and she pushed the button. The lift doors closed as the lift car moved upward and she folded her hands in front of her. "Has anyone told you what's been going on with my son?"

"I did hear he and Alicia were having troubles."

"Troubles," she said with a shaky laugh. "That's putting it mildly."

"What happened?"

"Alicia…. She…."

"What did she do?"

"I really can't say, but the strain from all this...," she said then paused and looked straight ahead. She blinked her eyes a few times then patted his right shoulder and moved her hand back. "I hate the fact you and Rupert had that falling out. If you two were still friends, you could have talked him out of marrying her."

"You're right. I would have," he said with a little sigh. "But it wasn't a falling out. I pushed away all my friends. I just couldn't handle the look of pity in their eyes or their being uncomfortable around me."

"Rupert told me it was hard being in the same room with you. But that was because of the guilt he felt about his part in your accident."

"I told him over and over I never blamed him for it," he said as the lift car stopped and the lift doors opened. They left the lift car as they headed down the hallway and CCU Ward One was painted on the wall in blue lettering. They came to the main nurses' station when a nurse with dark hair looked at them and Alice tapped her fingers on the desk to get the nurse's attention.

"Hello. My son is Rupert Freashwell. These are friends of his. May they go see him?" she asked and the nurse looked at Will and Louisa.

"Yes, but only for a few minutes," the nurse said and Alice nodded. Alice led them down the hallway as Louisa looked in the other rooms and a small knot started building in her stomach.

"Are you alright, Clark?" Will asked and she nodded, lightly patting his right shoulder. They came to a doorway while Will looked at his former best friend lying on the hospital bed and Rupert had oxygen prongs up his nose, a blood pressure cup wrapped around his right bicep, a pulse clip was connected to his right index finger, a needle to the intravenous drip was tapped to the back of his left hand and the heart monitor was to his right. His face was pale and drawn and there were deep shadows under his eyes. The sheet and small blanket were pulled up to his stomach and his left hand rested on top of his chest. Will also noticed the two police constables standing at either side of the doorway as he frowned and Alice glanced down at him then looked at Rupert.

"Rupert," Alice said while walking in the room and he turned his head to look at her. "Someone is here to see you."

Rupert watched while Will flicked the joystick with his thumb and the wheelchair moved toward the bed then stopped. Louisa wasn't sure if she should come in as Rupert looked at her and lightly nodded his head. She walked to the wheelchair and Rupert gave her a small smile then looked at Will.

"Hello," Rupert said with a weak voice.

"Hello," Will said.

"Nice to see you again, Miss Clark."

"Nice to see you again, too," Louisa said.

"How are you feeling?" Will asked.

"I feel like something is sitting on my chest," Rupert said with a sigh as he looked at the ceiling. Will leaned his head against the back of the headrest while Louisa looked at him and lightly carded the top of his head. Rupert noticed how she was looking at Will as he licked his lips and looked at his mother. "Mother, will you and Miss Clark please wait outside? I want to talk to Will in private."

"Of course," Alice said as she headed for the doorway and Louisa followed her. They walked down the hallway to the visitor waiting room and Alice walked to the window. Louisa wasn't sure what to say as she walked closer and stood next to her. "That bloody bitch."

"Excuse me?" Louisa asked and she glanced at her.

"I am talking about Alicia. She had been nothing, but trouble since the day she walked into my son's life. From the start, I told him to break things off with her, but he wouldn't hear of it."

"Didn't he mind she was with Will?"

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "He thought things would be fine as long as William never found out. When William broke things off with her, Rupert was right there to pick up the pieces. You'd think he would be more concerned about his best friend, but, no, he just wanted _her_. Then she goes and…"

"What did she do?"

"She took control of his life," Alice said with a soft growl. "She blackmailed him into servitude and pressured him into silence. All because she wanted revenge against William."

"You're not blaming Will, are you?" Louisa asked and Alice saw the worry and fear in her eyes.

"No, I don't blame William. She's hurt him most of all," she said as she went silent and looked out the window.

"How did she hurt him?" Louisa asked and Alice shook her head.

"I am not at liberty to say. All I can say is she did something unforgiveable," she said and Louisa looked back at the hallway,

Will watched the nurse checking the readings on the heart monitor then wrote the information in the chart and placed the chart in the holder at the foot of the bed. She left the room when Will looked at Rupert and Rupert was looking at the wall.

"Well, this seems familiar," Will said with a small grin while Rupert looked at him then tilted his head to one side. He thought back to the day he had gone to the hospital after Will woke up and how uncomfortable he felt from seeing his best friend lying there with his head surrounded by a metal brace to support his neck, a cast on his right arm, a cast around his chest and a cast on his left leg.

"The only difference is I'm lying in the bed and you are sitting in the chair," Rupert said.

"True," Will said with a small nod.

"I am surprised to see you."

"Why?"

"Well, we are not exactly friends anymore," he said then paused. "What sort of friend takes someone's lover and sleeps with them, conspires to keep them away from their child, has a part in their life being ruined, blatantly stands there while their lover tells them about their upcoming marriage and the only thing they can say is it sort of happened?"

"It sounds a lot like how I used to be," Will said with a small nod. "Well, not the conspiring to keep someone away from their child or ruining someone's life."

"This isn't funny, Will."

"You're right. But what sort of person pushes their friends away just because they end up being paralyzed? Sounds very selfish."

"Or scared."

"What makes you say that?"

"People like you and I… We have this image we are afraid to lose. That's why we strike first and let the chips fall where they may. We are afraid that people will not know how to react if we change tactics or, in your case, have something happen to give them a reason to either be repulsed or leery. So, pushing people away was your way to protect that image."

"And you giving in and allowing Alicia to walk all over you was yours?"

"No, that just proves how big an idiot I am," he said and lowered his head.

"Bollocks!" Will said and Rupert looked at him with a shocked look. "Do you want to know what an idiot is?! An idiot is someone who is more concerned about some fucking deal then he is about the woman he thought he loved! An idiot goes out in the pouring rain instead of allowing someone to call him a cab! An idiot is someone who is in such a rush to get to work that he walks out between two cars and gets hit by a bloody motorbike!"

"Will…."

"I'm not done!" Will said and didn't care that he was getting angry. "An idiot is someone who tosses away his friends and nearly alienates his family just because he's feeling sorry for himself! An idiot is someone who puts his family through hell because he decides it better to end his life…"

"What?!" Rupert said and the nurse came in the room. She looked at them as she saw Will was getting a little breathless and he watched her check his vitals. "Is he alright?"

"Yes, but I think both of you need to calm down," the nurse said as she went to check the heart monitor and Will leaned his head against the headrest. She quickly checked Will then gave Rupert a nod to tell him Will was alright and headed for the door. They watched her leave the room as Rupert looked at Will and Will had his eyelids half closed. He waited for Will to open his eyes when Will sighed and Rupert waited for him to say something.

"You…. You wanted to end your life?" Rupert finally asked and Will saw the concern in his eyes.

"I tried to end it...twice," Will said with a sigh. "The last time was last August."

"What were you going to do?"

"I was going to Dignitas," he said and Rupert's eyes went wide.

"Silly question, but what changed your mind?"

"My fiancé," Will said with a smile and Rupert softly laughed.

"Shit, I was right. I knew there was more going on between you two then just her being your companion."

"Was it that obvious?"

"Not from you, no. But it was where she was concerned. If we had still been talking to each other, I would have bugged the hell out of you to go after her."

"Even like this?"

"Even like that," he said with a nod.

"I wouldn't have done it."

"And that is because you are a bloody knob head," he said and they laughed. They went quiet for a few minutes when Rupert looked at him and Will saw the look in his eyes. "How is Alec?"

"He's fine," Will said then pursed his lips. "Though he was a little upset when we told him we were going to see the Sad Man because he was in the hospital."

"He calls me the Sad Man?"

"Yes. He told me it's because you were sad all the time."

"I am," he said with a nod. "Will you… Will you tell him I miss him?"

"Yes," Will said with a nod. He noticed Rupert was getting tired as he moved his thumb over the side of the joystick and Rupert glanced at him.

"Looks like I might need one of those," Rupert said and Will frowned.

"Why?"

"I heard my doctor talking with my parents. Turns out my heart's been damaged and I won't be able to walk or stand up for very long."

"Bloody hell."

"There is talk about putting me on the transplant list or seeing if I can have a pacemaker install. The truth is I don't know why I should bother."

"I'll give you a reason," Will said and moved the wheelchair a little closer to the bed. "I need my best friend at my wedding."

"We're best friends again!?"

"Yes."

"And you're getting married?!"

"Yeah. In March," he said with a grin. "So, you find a way to get there or I will never forgive you."

"But you_ do_ forgive me for keeping Alec from you."

"For the third time, yes," Will said with wide eyes and Rupert softly laughed.

"Are you alright, Dear?" Alice asked when the nurse walked in the room and looked at her and Louisa.

"I'm sorry," the nurse said while walking to Louisa and Louisa noticed the worried look on her face. "Are you the one responsible for Mister Freshwell's visitor?"

"Yes, I am." Louisa said when a familiar sense of fear moved through her and she looked toward the hallway. "Is there something wrong?"

"I went to check on Mister Freashwell when I noticed his visitor was upset about something."

"Is he alright?!"

"His pulse was a little elevated…." the nurse said as Louisa quickly left the room and headed down the hallway. She arrived at the doorway when she heard Will and Rupert laughing and Rupert gave her a grin when he saw her.

"Hello," Rupert said. Will flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around to face her and noticed the worried look on her face.

"What's the matter, Clark?" Will asked, watching her walk to the wheelchair then kneel down on her haunches.

"I was talking with Mrs. Freshwell when the nurse told us your pulse was elevated," she said and Will sighed.

"I got a little angry."

"A little angry," Rupert said with a laugh. "Mate, you were steaming. Not that I blame you. All of this… It makes me want to punch a wall."

"Are you sure you're ok?" Louisa asked as she stood up then went to sit on Will's lap.

"Yes, I'm fine," Will said while he flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair turned back to the bed and Rupert smiled.

"Do you have any idea how cute you two look?" Rupert asked and Will saw Louisa was blushing.

"What got you upset?" Louisa asked.

"We were just talking then I mentioned I was an idiot for allowing Alicia to get away with taking control of my life and keeping Alec from Will."

"And I told him he wasn't an idiot. I was the idiot because I was blind to what she was doing and how being stuck in this chair caused me to push away the people who just wanted to help me," Will said and she slid her arm around his shoulders.

"Well, I'm glad you're ok," Louisa said then looked at Rupert. "Both of you."

"I'm not ok," Rupert said. "Like I told Will, the attack damaged my heart. I'm either going on the transplant list or I'm going to be fitted with a pacemaker."

Will didn't have to nod his head for her to get off his as she walked to the bed and sat on the edge. Rupert looked at her when she smiled and placed her hand on top of his left hand.

"Are you allowed to sit up?" she asked.

"No, but you can raise the head of the bed," he said as she pushed the button to raise the head of the bed enough so not to cause the numbers on the heart monitor to rise too high then she moved closer to give him a hug. She placed the side of her head against his as Rupert sighed and he slid his arms around her. "Promise me you'll take care of them."

"I will," she whispered then moved back and Rupert gave her a small smile. He looked at them when he looked at the ceiling and barely shook his head.

"Will told me you two are getting married."

"Yes, we're getting married in March," she said and showed Rupert her engagement ring.

"I also invited him to the wedding," Will said.

"I hope I can be there. It all depends on this," Rupert said, gently tapping his chest over his heart.

"If you're as stubborn as Will, I'm sure you're going to make it," Louisa said with a smile and Rupert lightly laughed then yawned.

"Sorry," Rupert said.

"No, that's alright. We need to go anyway," Louisa said as she stood up and walked to the wheelchair. "Oh! I almost forgot!"

She reached into her purse when she removed a piece of paper and handed the piece of paper to Rupert. The piece of paper was folded in half and he looked at the drawing of a heart with a blue plaster across the front, wide cartoon eyes and a big smile. He opened the piece of paper when he saw **ALEC **written in blue crayon and smiled.

"When we told Alec why you were in the hospital, he insisted we make this," Will said. Rupert placed the piece of paper against his chest as he tried not to cry and looked at the ceiling. Louisa took Rupert's hand as she carefully wrapped their fingers together and he gently squeezed her hand.

"Thank you," he in a soft voice when he yawned, shook his head and sighed. "Sorry."

"That's alright," Will said while Louisa let go of Rupert's hand and stood up. Rupert gave them a small wave as they left the room and headed down the hallway. Alice stood near the nurses' station as she looked at them and Will stopped the wheelchair.

"Are you alright, William?" Alice asked.

"Yes. I just got angry about all this," William said and she nodded. He half closed his eyes then looked at her and she saw the hurt in his eyes. "You don't blame me for all this, do you?"

"Like I told Miss Clark, no, neither my husband nor I blame you for this. The blame falls on Alicia's head."

Will was a little surprised when she hugged him and he leaned his head against hers. Alice moved back as she smiled and he smiled back.

"Well, it was nice to see you again."

Nodding, he flicked the joystick with his finger as he steered the wheelchair and glanced over at Louisa from time to time.

"What's wrong, Clark?" he finally asked.

"I was talking with Mrs. Freshwell about Alicia and I know she wanted to tell me about Alec."

"Her not being able to talk about Alec goes to show just how much power Alicia has. Or her father has."

"Is it horrible to wish Alicia and her father end up in jail for the rest of their lives?"

"No," he said as they headed down the hallway and she placed her hand on Will's right shoulder.

The butler opened the door while Devon walked by him and he closed the door. He led her down the hallway when they came to the doors to the main room and Alicia was sitting on the couch. She glared at Devon while Devon walked to the couch and Alicia looked up at her.

"What are _you_ doing here!?" Alicia demanded.

"I am here to talk to you about your soon-to-be ex-husband,"

"What about him?"

"You do know he's in the hospital, don't you?"

"What happened? Did he try and off himself?"

"No. He had a heart attack," Devon said, but wasn't surprised when Alicia didn't react.

"Is there anything else?" Alicia asked, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"His parents are trying to get the charges dropped."

"Does this mean I'm getting my son back?!"

"Is that all you care about?! He nearly died!"

"Who cares. What I don't understand is why he will get the charges dropped and I am still being charged with abusing my son!"

"And inflicting mental cruelty to your soon-to-be ex-husband."

"What?!"

"Apparently, his parents want the charge added to the case against you and, I for one, think it's a good idea."

"Get out!" Alicia shouted and Devon nodded. Alicia watched her walk to the doorway when Devon turned and looked at her.

"One more thing. If he does die, they also want to charge you with involuntary manslaughter," she said then headed down the hallway. Alicia looked at where she was standing when she picked up a crystal vase and tossed the crystal vase against the wall.

The bedroom was dark while Will looked at the ceiling and listened to Louisa's soft breathing. Louisa had told Nathan about him getting angry and Will had to stay in bed for the rest of the day after Nathan examined him. Will felt her fingers brush against his collarbones while a soft tingle moved over his skin and he made a soft moan. Her eyes suddenly snapped open as she looked at him and could just see him looking at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I can't sleep," he said and she moved closer to place her head against his shoulder. "I keep thinking about Rupert."

"Me, too. I hope they find him a new heart."

He went silent for a few seconds then blinked and she looked at him.

"Tell me something, Clark. If I wasn't like this, but had a heart attack and needed a heart transplant, would you still love me?"

"That's a silly question. Of course, I would."

"Even if I had someone else's heart in my chest?"

"Yes, because it would be your heart," she said and moved her hand down to rest near the spot over his heart.

"What if I had a pacemaker?"

"I would still love you, but I might giggle because of the little beeping sound I hear when I put my head against your chest."

"I don't think that's how it works," he said with a small laugh then went silent again. "I want you to do something for me."

"What do you want me to do?"

"In my medical file is a paper about organ donation. I want you to fill it out for me and, if/when I die, I want you to tell the doctors to take whatever organs which are usable and use them for transplants."

Louisa looked at him for a few minutes when she smiled and leaned her head up to kiss his cheek.

"What was that for?"

"No reason," she said and placed her head on his shoulder. "And I promise I'll tell them, but I hope I don't have to do that for a very long time."

Will listened to her go back to sleep when he looked at the darkness until his eyelids slowly closed and he made a small content sigh.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

"Don't forget his jammies," Alec said while he sat on the bed and watched Louisa place Will's blue flannel pajamas in the overnight bag.

"Yeah, I really don't like the idea of wearing one of those hospital gowns," Will teased and Louisa laughed. Will had explained to Alec about having to go to the hospital for the first of his yearly evaluations, there was one at the beginning of the year then another at the end of the year, and Alec handed Louisa Will's blue fleece dressing gown.

"I think you look cute when you have to wear a hospital gown," she said, thinking back to when Will had been taken to the hospital when he developed pneumonia, and placed the dressing gown in the overnight bag.

"I just wish it wasn't going to take so long this time."

"Well, that's because we forgot to do it last year," Nathan said while he walked out of the bathroom and placed Will's toiletries bag in the overnight bag.

"Gee, I wonder how that happened," Will said while he looked at Alec then gave him a wink and Alec giggled.

"We better get going. It's getting late and I don't want to get stuck in traffic," Nathan said as he headed for the door and left the room. Louisa placed the strap of the overnight bag over her shoulder while Alec got off the bed and headed for the wheelchair. He carefully got onto Will's lap as Will flicked the joystick with his finger and they left the room.

"Wait," Alec said. Will stopped the wheelchair when Alec got off his lap and went into his bedroom. He went to the bed then picked up the plush tiger he got for Christmas and left the room. He walked to the wheelchair when he got back onto Will's lap and Will looked at the plush tiger. "Here."

"You want me to take Stripy to the hospital with me?" Will asked.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"It's so you don't get lonely at night," Alec said and leaned against Will's chest. Will tried hard not to cry as Louisa placed her fingers against her lips and Nathan leaned against the door. Louisa placed Will's arms around Alec then carded the top of Alec' head and Will wanted to hug him. Nathan opened the door after Louisa help Will and Alec get their parkas on and they headed outside. Louisa moved the hood of Will's parka up as they headed for the van and Nathan pushed the button for the small lift after opening the doors. The small lift lowered as Will steered the wheelchair onto the small lift and Nathan pushed the button. The small lift moved up as Will flicked the joystick with his finger and Nathan got in the van. He locked the wheels into place, took the suitcases Louisa handed him then took Alec from her and placed Alec on Will's lap. He secured the seatbelt as Alec held onto the plush tiger and Nathan got out of the van. He closed and locked the doors when he headed for the driver side door and Louisa headed for the passenger side door and they got in the van after opening the doors. Louise glanced back at Will and Alec when she smiled and Nathan started the engine. Will placed the back of his head against the headrest as Alec carefully placed his arms around him and Will closed his eyes.

_Central London -_ _Saint Michael's Hospital_

The door opened while Nathan held the door open and Will, Louisa and Alec headed in the room. Nathan closed the door as the wheelchair headed for the bed and Louisa placed the overnight bag on the bed. Alec carefully got off of Will's lap as he used the chair to climb onto the bed and looked at the buttons on the bed rail.

"These look like the buttons on your bed, Papa Bear." Alec said, pointing to the buttons.

"Yeah, they do," Will said while Louisa placed the blue flannel pajamas on the bed and placed the blue fleece dressing gown and Will's slippers on the chair near the night table.

"What does this button do?"

"That is the nurse call button."

"What's this?" he asked as he held up the television remote.

"That's the remote for the television," Nathan said as Louisa walked into the bathroom and he walked to the bed then looked at Will. "Time to get you into bed."

Will arched an eyebrow while he flicked the joystick with his finger to make the wheelchair back up then steered the wheelchair around Nathan and headed for the window. Laughing, Nathan went after him as Will flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair and headed for the bed. Louisa climbed onto the bed as she slid Alec onto her lap and they laughed while watching Nathan "chase" Will around the room. Finally, Nathan stood in front of the wheelchair with his arms crossed over his chest and Will looked at him with a wide grin on his face. Sighing and shaking his head, Nathan pointed to the bed and Will flicked the joystick with his finger. Will was changed into his pajamas and under the bedding a few minutes later as he rested the back of his head against the pillows and Alec sat on the bed next to his left side. Stripy was resting near Will's left shoulder as he glanced over at the plush tiger and Louisa straightened the bedding.

"Stop fussing, Clark," Will said and she sat on the chair near the bed. The door opened when a nurse walked in the room and he noticed she was the nurse from the last time he was in the hospital.

"Hello, Mister Traynor," the nurse said and Louisa heard the curt tone in her voice.

"Hello."

The nurse walked to the foot of the bed when she placed the chart in the holder then looked at Louisa and Alec.

"Who are you?" the nurse asked.

"This is my fiancé, Louisa Clark, and this is my son, Alec."

"You don't have a son."

"Yes, I do," he said when she looked at Stripy, walked to the left side of the bed and picked the plush tiger off the bed.

"And what is this?"

"That's Stripy," Alec said when she frowned and tossed the plush tiger toward the door. Nathan moved quickly to catch the plush tiger as Louisa gasped and Alec' lower lip quivered.

"Get out!" Will said as the nurse looked at him, sighed and shook her head.

"I am not in the mood to deal with one of your tantrums," she said while Alec snuggled against Will and softly sobbed. "Stop that!"

"Don't you dare talk to my son like that!" Will said and Louisa got up and picked Alec off the bed. She held Alec as he placed his wet cheek on her left shoulder and she gently rubbed his back.

"If he doesn't stop immediately, I am going to call security and have him removed!" the nurse said, but she didn't see the door open and Nathan left the room.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is…," Louisa said while adjusting her hold on Alec.

"Clark, let me handle this," Will said as she nodded when the door opened and Nathan walked in the room with another nurse.

"Nurse Carter, what is going on in here?!" the other nurse demanded.

"I was just going to examine Mister Traynor when the child became hysterical," Nurse Carter said.

"You tossed my son's toy tiger across the bloody room!" Will said with a small growl then felt guilty about swearing in front of Alec.

"Is this true?" the other nurse asked.

"Yes, it wasn't properly sanitized and could prove harmful to him," Nurse Carter said.

"Do you want to know how many times that's been on the top of my head or on my face or on my chest? Tons of times! And I haven't gotten sick yet," Will said and Nathan placed the plush tiger back on the bed near Will's left hand.

"And she threatened to call security and have Alec removed if he didn't stop crying," Louisa said and Nurse Carter glared at her.

"He is upsetting Mister Traynor," Nurse Carter said and Will's eyes widened.

"No, _you_ are the one who's upsetting me!" Will said.

"She also said she wasn't in the mood for one of his tantrums," Nathan said and the other nurse looked at Nurse Carter.

"I want you to go to the nurses' station! Now!" she said and Nurse Carter snorted out a breath of air and left the room. The nurse looked at Will then at Louisa and Alec when the nurse sighed and shook her head. "I am so sorry."

She went to the foot of the bed when she picked the chart out of the holder and walked to the left side of the bed. She opened the chart as she reached for Will's left wrist then moved her hand back when she saw the anger in his eyes.

"Don't touch me," Will growled and she nodded.

"Let me do it," Nathan said and the nurse handed him the chart. Will kept looking at the nurse while Nathan examined him and wrote the information on the chart. He initialed the information as he handed the nurse the chart and she placed the chart in the holder after she walked to the foot of the bed.

"Get out," Will said and the nurse walked to the door, opened the door and left the room. He looked at the ceiling while Louisa placed Alec down on the bed and Alec snuggled next to Will.

"I think we should go to the hotel and get checked in," Nathan said, looking at the door.

"Yeah, it's nearly dinnertime," Louisa said and Will frowned.

"At least you get to eat dinner," Will said.

"Aren't you going to have dinner, Papa Bear?" Alec asked.

"Nope," Will said, barely shaking his head. "They're going to take blood in the morning and I am not allowed anything to eat beforehand."

"Why?"

"The blood tests could come back with the wrong information if he eats something." Nathan said.

"Oh!" Alec said as he elongated the "o".

"I also think you should take Stripy with you," Will said and Alec looked up at him.

"Yeah. That mean nurse might take him," Alec said as he carefully climbed over Will and picked up the plush tiger. Louisa picked Alec off the bed when she leaned over to kiss Will and Alec giggled. Will gave her a small grin then they headed for the door and left the room. Nathan had placed the remote in Will's right hand before he left the room as Will used his finger to turn the television on and he looked at the screen.

Louisa held onto Alec as he held onto the plush tiger while they walked down the hallway and they saw Nurse Carter standing near the nurses' station. Nurse Carter glared at them when Louisa stopped and felt anger boiling in her chest.

"Don't," Nathan whispered, taking Louisa's elbow and she turned then they headed down the hallway.

Devon sat on the couch while she watched her favorite show when her phone made a soft chirping sound and she picked the phone off the coffee. She looked at the text screen when she frowned and pushed the button.

**Don't come to the annex on Friday. Will is in the hospital.**

**What happened!?**

Devon felt her stomach tightening as she waited for Louisa to answer and the phone made a soft pinging sound.

**It's nothing to worry about. It's the first of his yearly evaluations.**

Devon let go of the breath she was holding when she smiled and leaned back against the cushions.

**How long will he be in the hospital?**

**He'll be there until the following Friday.**

**Glad he's alright. Which hospital is he staying?**

She reached for a piece of paper and a pen when the phone made a soft pinging sound and she looked at the screen. She wrote down the information when she placed the pen down and smiled.

**Would it be alright if I go see him?**

**Sure. I think he'd like that.**

**Thank you for telling me about it.**

**You're welcome.**

Devon turned the phone off when she looked at the piece of paper and lightly tapped her fingers on the top of the coffee table. She knew none of her former clients would have done that as she checked her schedule and tried to figure out when would be a good time to go visit Will. She saw she had an opening on Saturday as she made a note on the calendar to go see him and turned the phone off before going back to watching her show.

The next morning, the door opened while Nathan, Louisa and Alec walked in the room and Louisa saw Will had his eyes closed. Louisa walked to the bed when she leaned down and kissed his lips and Will made a small laugh before opening his eyes.

"Hi," she said.

"Hello," Will said with a little crack to his voice and Alec walked closer then climbed onto the chair near the bed.

"Did they take your blood yet, Papa Bear?" Alec asked.

"Yeah, they did," Will said and Louisa moved the right sleeve of his blue flannel pajamas and saw the cotton ball. She checked to see if there was any blood then removed the tape and cotton ball and placed them in the biohazard bag near the bed.

"Did it hurt?"

"I didn't feel a thing," he teased and Alec giggled.

"Have you had anything to eat?" Nathan said while the door opened and the nurse walked in the room. She had a tray in her hands as they looked at her and she placed the tray on the small table near the bed.

"Hello," she said and moved the small table toward Will.

"Hello," Louisa said.

"Are you going to feed him now?" Alec asked.

"Yes, I am," the nurse said.

"I want to help you."

"Alright," she said with a small smile and handed Alec the glass of orange juice. He held the glass in both hands as she placed the end of the straw in Will's mouth and Will took a few sips of the juice. She removed the straw while Alec placed the glass on the tray and they took turns feeding Will.

"Have they done the scans yet?" Nathan asked as he looked at the chart.

"Not yet," Will said while he opened his mouth and Alec fed him some scrambled egg whites.

"Why are they going to do that?" Alec asked.

"They need to see if my back or my neck are getting worse," he said and the nurse helped him take a few sips of juice.

"Can we watch them do it?"

"We can ask," Will said with a grin and Alec smiled.

"Are you finished?" the nurse asked and Will barely nodded his head. Nathan handed her the chart so she could record how much Will ate and drank and she wrote down the information. She placed the chart back in the holder, picked up the tray then left the room and Will glanced over at Louisa.

"Do you know what happened with Nurse Carter?" Will asked.

"I talked with the nurse at the main desk and she said Nurse Carter was sacked," Nathan said.

"Good," Will said while the door opened and a young lady with short brown hair and brown eyes walked in and she pushed the cart with an ultra sound scanner toward the bed.

"Hello," Doctor Catherine Day said.

"Hello," Will said.

"Who are you?" Alec asked.

"I'm Doctor Day," Catherine said.

"What are you going to do with that?" Louisa asked while looking at the ultra sound scanner.

"I'm going to scan his stomach and some of his other internal organs and his heart."

"Can we watch?" Alec asked and Louisa picked him off the bed.

"Sure."

"It won't hurt him, will it?" he asked and she saw the worry in his eyes.

"No, it's not going to hurt him," she assured him and Alec placed his cheek against Louisa's left shoulder.

"He's very protective of me," Will said, glancing at Alec and Catherine smiled.

"You ready?" she asked and Alec nodded. She pushed the button to lower the head of the bed until Will was lying flat then she carefully moved the bedding back and he looked up at her. She moved the pajamas bottom down a little then opened the pajamas top when she looked at the hair on his chest then looked at Alec. "Now, the first thing I have to do is place some of this on his stomach."

Alec and Louisa watched Catherine placed the clear gel on Will's stomach then picked up the scanner and turned the monitor on. She angled the monitor enough so Will could see when she placed the scanner against his skin and looked at the screen. She explained what they were looking at when she lifted the scanner up and cleaned Will's stomach off.

"Now, this is the tricky part," Catherine said then looked at Nathan. "I have to scan his kidneys. Can you help me turn him onto his side?"

Nathan helped her roll Will onto his right side after they took the pajamas top off and Will looked at Alec and Louisa.

"Are you ok?" Louisa asked.

"Yeah," Will said, barely nodding his head. Catherine placed some of the clear gel on his lower back as she picked up the scanner and placed the scanner against his skin. Louisa and Alec looked at the screen while Catherine explained what they were looking at and Louisa lightly carded the top of Will's head. After cleaned off Will's back and rolling him over, Catherine smiled down at him while picking up the tube of gel and placed some of the clear gel on Will's chest. She placed the scanner against his skin as he sighed and she looked at the screen. Will glanced at the screen when he saw his heart moving and he blinked his eyes a few times.

"_You are going to allow strangers to inject you with chemicals that will stop your heart."_

He thought about what Georgina said as he frowned and Louisa saw the look in his eyes.

"Will?" Louisa asked.

"I'm fine," Will said, but didn't take his eyes of the screen.

"That's your heart, Papa Bear," Alec said.

"Papa Bear?" Catherine asked.

"Yeah, I call him that because he's furry," he said while pointing to the hair on Will's chest and she softly laughed.

"And…we're done," she said and cleaned off Will's chest. Nathan helped her placed the pajamas top on Will then handed her the chart and she wrote down the information. Catherine put the scanner and the gel tube away when she turned the monitor off and pushed the cart to the door. Nathan opened the door while she moved by him and Louisa looked at Will. Will was looking at the ceiling as she wondered what he was thinking about and she placed Alec on the bed next to Will.

"Will?" Louisa asked, but he didn't answer.

"Papa Bear?" Alec asked and Will glanced at him then back at the ceiling.

"Hey, Little Mate, why don't we go get him a treat for being a good boy," Nathan said while picking Alec off the bed and they left the room. Louisa pushed the button to raise the head of the bed then sat on the edge of the bed, took hold of Will's right hand and wrapped their fingers together.

"Talk to me," she said. Will glanced at her when she felt his right thumb twitch against her index finger and he licked his lips.

"I am an idiot," Will finally said.

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am. When I could move, I felt my heart beating while I was climbing up the side of a mountain or if I was doing something really exciting. But to actually see it beating…," he said then paused and she squeezed his fingers. "The doctor I talked to at Dignitas told me what they were going to do and I thought it was a great idea. Just slipping off to sleep while the chemicals stop my heart. But… But what if I didn't fall asleep right away? I can feel pain and the thought of you, Nathan and my family seeing me suffering before I die…."

Letting go of his hand after she saw the tears in the corners of his eyes, Louisa reached over and wiped the tears away with the pad of her thumbs. She moved closer while she carefully lifted him up, wrapped her arms around him and held him as he cried. She softly rocked back and forth while she carded the back of his head and he made soft sniffing noises. She placed him back against the pillows, opened the drawer and took out the aspirator and used the aspirator to clear his sinuses. She placed the aspirator and the small container she found into the biohazard bag near the bed and made a note on the chart. She then used the hand sanitizer while he glanced at her as the door opened and Nathan and Alec walked in the room. She hoped neither of them noticed Will had been crying as Nathan placed Alec on the bed next to Will and Alec smiled.

"Look at what we found in the vending machine," Nathan said as Alec held up the packet of crisps and Will saw the crisps were his favorite.

"Wow," Will said with a cat-like sound to his voice and Nathan helped Alec open the packet. Will opened his mouth while Alec placed a crisp in his papa's mouth and Will closed his mouth

"Are you ok?" Alec asked.

"Yeah. I guess I just got a little overwhelmed when I saw my heart moving on the screen," Will said after he swallowed.

"That was really neat!"

"You're right. It was," Will said then opened his mouth and Alec placed a crisp in his papa's mouth. Will looked up at Louisa as he chewed then swallowed and Louis smiled, carding the top of Will's head.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

The door opened as Louisa walked in the room and watched the nurse feeding Will some breakfast. He gave her a tiny nod as she walked to the bed and the nurse turned to look at her.

"Is he being good?" Louisa teased as he stuck his tongue out at her and she and the nurse laughed.

"Yes, he was a good boy and ate all his breakfast," the nurse said and Will rolled his eyes.

"Are you two done?" he asked.

"Yes," the nurse said while writing the information down in the chart then placed the chart in the holder, picked up the tray and left the room. Louisa sat on the edge of the bed when she took Will's left hand and wrapped their fingers together. She noticed the look on Wil's face when she lifted his hand up to her lips and kissed his knuckles.

"Stop it," Louisa said.

"Stop what?" Will asked.

"Stop looking so guilty."

"I do feel guilty, Clark. You and Alec have interrupted your lives in order to be here with me. You're missing classes and lectures and he…"

"Is enjoying seeing what his daddy's insides and bones look like," she said with an angry look. "As for me missing classes and lectures, there were no lectures scheduled for this week and I brought my homework with me. I do it after Alec goes to sleep."

"There's not need to get so snotty about it," he said with a pout and she loved how his lower lip was sticking out.

"Do you know how cute you look when you pout?" she asked while leaning closer and he gave her a pleased look.

"How cute?" he asked when the door opened when a tall man with short gray hair walked in the room and had Will's medical file in his hands.

"Hello," Doctor Mark Stone said as he headed for the bed and Louisa got off the bed. "Who is this?"

"This is my fiancé, Louisa Clark," Will said.

"Hello," Louisa said and Doctor Stone nodded.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything" Doctor Stone said.

"No, you weren't," Louisa said and Doctor Stone looked at the medical file.

"So, why did you want to see me?" Doctor Stone asked.

"Well, seeing how I am getting married soon, I was wondering if there was something you could give me which will help me be intimate with my fiancé or if there are any treatments which could help us be intimate," Will said and Doctor Stone nodded.

"There are a few things we could do," he said, opening the medical file. "When are you getting married?"

"We're getting married in March," Louisa said and he looked at her.

"I see," he said and Will frowned.

"Is that a problem?" Will asked.

"No. Not really."

"That's good," Louisa said.

"Um, there is something else," Will said and they looked at him. "I was wondering if you can see if I really am sterile."

"We've been over this," Doctor Stone said. "The accident…"

"Yes, I know, but could there be achance I _might_ have something still alive down there?" Will asked and Louisa felt the soft burn of a blush moving across her cheeks.

"I'll run some tests," Doctor Stone said as they talked more about what treatments they could try to insure they could be intimate and Louisa slid her hand around Will's right hand as she wrapped their fingers together. A few minutes later, Doctor Stone left the room while Will looked at the door and Louisa sat on the edge of the bed. She wanted to snuggle on the bed with Will as she saw the serious look on Will's face and she leaned over to brush some hair out of his eyes.

"Did you know you're in the same hospital as Rupert Freshwell?" she asked and Will glanced at her.

"No, I didn't," he said with a small shake of his head.

"I was thinking of going up to the CCU and visited him."

"I think he would like that."

"Do you want me to tell him you're here?"

"I don't want to upset him."

"I could tell him it's just your first yearly evaluation."

"Alright," he said and she saw the look in his eyes. She knew he was thinking about having a baby with her and she felt a cold lump in her stomach.

"Talk to me."

"Clark…," he said then paused and pressed his lips into a thin line. "Would you mind if Alec was the only child we have?"

"No, I wouldn't mind."

"What about having children? Do you want to have any?"

"A part of me does. Then I think about everything my sister went through while she was pregnant and I'm not sure I could handle it."

"I think you would look amazing if you were pregnant," he said and she blushed then she thought of something.

"Let me ask you something. How would_ you_ feel about us having a baby?"

"I want us to have one, but then I think how useless I'd be."

"I don't think you'd be useless."

"I can't move."

"I know."

"I couldn't help you take care of the baby."

"I know."

"I may not be there to watch the baby grow up."

"But you would be there," she said and he realized she was right. Even if he lived for a few more years, their child would have some memories of him being in their life and he felt her brushing some hair behind his left ear.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Doctor Stone has to say," he said and she nodded, used the remote to turn the telly on and he gave her a small smile.

A few days later the door opened as Devon walked in the room and saw Will was watching the financial news. He glanced at her when his finger moved over the volume button to turn the sound off and she walked to the bed.

"Hello," Devon said.

"Hello. What are you doing here?" Will asked and she saw the worry in his eyes.

"Miss Clark…"

"Louisa."

"Louisa," she said with a nod. She was surprised he wanted her to call Louisa by her first name and felt a warm glow moving through her chest. "She sent me a text and told me you were in the hospital."

"And you wanted to see if I was alright?"

"Yes," she said while sitting on the chair next to the bed and placed her hands on her lap. "How are you?"

"I'm tried. That's how I am," he said with a small smile and she lightly laughed.

"What have they been doing to you?"

"It's mostly taking scans of my back and neck to see if they're getting worse, checking to see if my internal organs are functioning normally, checking my circulatory system to make sure my blood is moving where it's supposed to go and seeing if I can stop taking some medications or I need new ones," he said as he went silent and looked at the ceiling. She waited for him to talk again as he sighed and glanced over at her. "Before you brought Alec into my life, I didn't really care about all this and thought it was a waste of time. Now that Alec_ is_ in my life, I do care. I know I am never going to get any better than this. I know I could and can get worse. But I also know I want to live long enough to watch my son grow up."

"I did do a little checking and someone with your condition can live another ten or twenty years. Maybe longer."

"My doctors have told me the same thing."

"Anyway, another reason I wanted to see you is I have some news."

"What sort of news?" he asked, arching his eyebrows up.

"It appears the charges against Rupert Freshwell have been dropped due to his ill health."

"What does that mean in regards to the trail?"

"It means he's not seeing any jail time, but the charges against Alicia Freshwell and her parents are still pending," she said as the door opened while Louisa, Nathan and Alec walked in the room and Devon stood up.

"Hello," she said and Nathan gave Will a questioning look.

"No need to panic. Louisa told her I was in the hospital and she came to see me," Will said.

"Has your specialist been in to talk yet?" Louisa asked while Devon sat back down and Alec carefully crawled onto the bed.

"No. Not yet," he said with barely a shake to his head.

"Miss Devon, guess what I saw the other day!" Alec said.

"What did you see?" Devon asked.

"I saw Papa Bear's insides!"

"You did?!"

"Yeah!"

"How?"

"The doctor used this thingy that showed them on the telly," he said and they tried not to laugh or smile.

"You mean they did an ultra sound scan?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod.

"Wow," she said with wide eyes.

"Then we went to watch them take pictures of his back and his neck."

"What did they look like?"

"They looked broken."

"Oh," she said while looking at Will and he barely nodded.

"Papa Bear said he'll tell me how they got broken when we get home."

"That's good," she said while Will closed his eyes and he made a small sigh.

"Will?" Louisa asked.

"I'm fine. Just sleepy," Will said.

"Maybe I should go then," Devon said and he opened his eyes.

"Not until you tell them what you told me."

"What did you tell him?" Nathan asked, looking at Devon.

"I told him the charges against Rupert Freshwell have been dropped due to his ill health, but the charges against Alicia Freshwell and her parents are still pending," Devon said.

"What does that mean?" Alec asked.

"It means he's not in trouble anymore," Will said.

"Oh," he said as he elongated the "o".

"Well, I really think I should go," Devon said while Alec held his arms out and she lifted him off the bed then hugged him. She felt a small knot in her chest as she moved back and loved how happy Alec looked. "You be good and help take care of Papa Bear."

"I will," he said with a nod and Devon handed Alec to Louisa. Devon walked to the door when she opened the door, left the room and her heels clicked on the tile flooring.

Rupert looked at the show he was watching, but he really wasn't interested and sighed. He turned the television off when he glanced toward the window and looked at the PC. His mother had told him the PC was just a precaution, but he wouldn't be surprised if Alicia or her father would hire someone to make sure he unable to testify against them.

"If I live that long," he said in a soft voice when he saw the PC was talking to someone and the PC checked the visitor list his mother had given them. The PC nodded while he opened the door as Louisa walked in the room and Rupert wondered why she had come to see him.

"Hello," Louisa said and sat on the chair near the bed.

"Hello," Rupert said.

"I hope you don't mind me being here."

"No, it's fine."

"I have something to tell you, but I don't want to upset you."

"Is Alec alright?"

"Yes, he's fine."

"Is Will alright?"

"Do you know he has to have a yearly evaluation?"

"No, I didn't. What do they do?"

"They mostly take scans of his back and neck to see if they're getting worse, checking to see if his internal organs are functioning normally, checking his circulatory system to make sure his blood is moving where it's supposed to go and seeing if he can stop taking some medications or if he needs new ones."

"Wow! When does he have to have it done?"

"He's having it done now."

"Why aren't you with him?"

"He's here."

"He's in this hospital?"

"Yes," she said and he smiled.

"Has he been told the results yet?"

"No, not yet," she said and she looked at the PC.

"Sorry about that."

"Why is he here?"

"It's my parents' idea. They believe, even though the charges against me were dropped, Alicia or her father might do something to me."

"Seriously!?"

"Yes," he said with a nod then he puffed out a breath of air. "Bloody hell. When did my life turn into East Enders?"

Louisa took his hand as they wrapped their fingers together and he lightly squeezed her hand.

"Has there been any news about you getting a new heart?" Louisa asked.

"I was told I'm high up on the list, but that makes me feel like shit."

"Why?"

"I just feel like I'm taking someone's slot just because my parents have money."

"I don't think your parents believe that's the reason why they're doing it."

"Yeah, I know. They love me and just want me to get better. But what's the point?"

"You sound like Will," she said and he gave her a stunned look. He thought for a few minutes when he softly laughed and shook his head.

"You're right. He wanted to give up living and so do I."

"Wait. You knew he was going to….?"

"Yes, he told me."

"Oh."

"The only difference is I don't have a Clark who is going to try everything they can think of to get me to change my mind," he said and she blushed.

"Yes, you do."

"I do?!"

"You have Alec," she said and his eyes widened. "Did you really think Will and I wouldn't keep you in his life once the trial is over?"

"I wasn't sure," he said as the door opened and the nurse walked by the PC. She walked to the bed when she removed the chart from the holder at the foot of the bed and looked at them.

"Sorry. Visiting hours are over,' she said and Louisa let go of his hand, stood up and walked to the door.

"Tell Will I hope everything turns out ok," he said as Louisa nodded, opened the door and left the room.

Will kept his head still while Louisa shaved him and he had his eyes closed. She washed the razor off when she finished shaving him and Alec handed her the towel. She wiped off Will's face when he slowly opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Excited about going home tomorrow, Papa Bear?" Alec asked.

"I would rather go home now," Will said.

"We still need to learn what the test results are," Louisa said.

"I know, but….," he said as the door opened and Doctor Catherine Day walked in the room.

"Hello," Catherine said, walking to the bed. "Sorry it took me so long to get back to you."

"It's alright. I'm used to it."

"Well, I have good news," she said with a grin and he arched his eyebrows up. "Your test results and x-rays came back perfectly fine and there are two medications which can have their dosages reduce."

"Which two?" Louisa said and Catherine showed them.

"Wow," Will said with a cat-like noise and she gave him a puzzled look. "Sorry."

"No, it's cute," Catherine said with a smile.

"Is there any bad news?"

"I am a little concerned about the catheter tube."

"Do you think I might need a new one?" Will asked.

"Yes, but not for another couple of months."

"Why would he need a new one?" Alec asked.

"It's so I don't get sick, Buddy," Will said. Catherine explained what might happen if it wasn't replaced as Alec nodded and sat closer to Will.

"Then you're going to get a new one," Alec said, lightly poking him in the stomach.

"Ooooooooooo-key," Will said with a pout and Catherine and Louisa softly laughed. After they talked about the test results, Catherine left the room as the door closed behind her and Louisa saw the look in Will's eyes.

"You ok?" Louisa asked.

"Yes, Clark, I'm fine," he said while Alec turned the telly on and he placed his head against Will's shoulder.

Doctor Mark Stone opened the door when he walked in the room then stopped. Will's eyes were closed and Alec was sleeping with his head on the right side of Will's chest. Louisa was sitting on the chair near the bed while she read one of the books for her courses and Stone wasn't sure if he should say something.

"Oh, hello," Louisa said in a soft voice and Stone nodded.

"Should I come back later?" he whispered.

"No," she said as she saved her place, put the book on the small table near the bed and stood up. She walked to the bed when she pushed the nurse call button then lightly carded the top of Will's head. "Will."

She watched Will slowly open his eyes when he looked at her and gave her a sleepy smile.

"Hi," Will said, softly.

"Doctor Stone's here," she said and he looked at him.

"Sorry to wake you," Stone said while the nurse walked in the room and headed for the bed. After she checked Will's vitals then left the room, Louisa made the head of the bed move up and adjusted the pillow behind Will's head. She had lifted Alec off the bed and placed him on the small couch, but she placed him back next to Will and Alec snuggled closer to his papa.

"No, it's alright," Will said and Louisa sat on the edge of the bed.

"Have you found any way for Will and I to…?" Louisa asked then looked at Alec and wondered if he was still asleep.

"Yes, I have found a few things," Stone said as he handed her the information and she showed Will. "I know you want to do this as soon as possible, but most of these will take a while to work."

"I see that," Will said with a small nod.

"It doesn't mean we can't try. The first two seem promising," Stone said, pointing to the two medications on the top of the list.

"They won't interfere with any of his other medications?" Louisa asked.

"No, they won't."

"I would like to try the first one," Will said.

"Alright."

"What about…? What about the test?"

"As you know, there was a chance the test would come back just like the others…"

"Yes, I know."

"I'm sorry, Will," Stone said and Louisa saw the defeated look on Will's face.

"Thank you," he said as Stone nodded, turned and left the room. Louisa looked at Will while Will looked at the ceiling and she waited for him to say something.

"Clark?" he finally asked and his eyes lowered to look at her. "Are you ok?"

"Me?!" she asked, giving him a confused.

"We've just been told I can't have children with you."

"Yes, we have."

"I'm…"

"No, don't you dare be sorry. We already had this conversation, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. I just…," he said with a sigh and became quiet again. "I just feel like a failure."

"What does that mean?" Alec asked with a sleepy tone.

"It means I let Lou down because she and I can't have a baby," Will said and Alec looked up at him.

"You have me," he said with a yawn and went back to sleep. Louisa leaned over to kiss Alec' head then looked at Will and he gave her a wide smile which caused his dimples to leave large dents in his cheeks.

The small lift lowered the wheelchair down to the ground when Will flicked the joystick with his finger and headed for the door. He watched while the door open and Alec ran toward outside and Will stopped the wheelchair.

"Hi!" Alec said with a grin as Louisa picked him up, leaned over so Alec could give him a small hug and Will smiled.

"Hi," Will said.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?" he asked with a puzzled look.

"Just close your eyes!" he said with an annoyed look as he raised his hands up and Will softly laughed.

"I can't steer the wheelchair if I close my eyes."

"Allow me," Louisa said, placing Alec down and Will frowned. She turned the wheelchair on manual as they headed for the door and Will closed his eyes. They went inside the annex when she closed the door and they headed for the master bedroom. She stopped the wheelchair at the foot of the bed when she turned the wheelchair to face the wall and smiled.

"Ok, open your eyes," Alec said and Will opened his eyes. On the wall was a white paper banner with **WELCOME HOME!** painted on it in bright colors and Will glanced at Alec. "Don't you like it?"

"I love it!" Will said with a grin. Alec climbed onto Will's lap then snuggled against his papa while Will glanced down at him then looked at the banner again. Louisa moved Will's arms so he was holding Alec as Nathan walked in the room and Will looked at him.

"Good to be home, hunh?" Nathan asked.

"You know…," Will said the paused for a few seconds and deep dimples dented his cheeks when he grinned. "After my accident, I never thought of this place as anything more than a prison."

"Why?" Alec asked.

"I felt it was just some place my parents put me and hoped I would be happy. I wasn't. Not for a long time. Now," he said as he looked at Alec, Nathan and Louisa. "Now that I have the three of you… It doesn't feel that way. So, yeah, it is good to be home."

"Then let's get you unpacked. Dinner's almost ready," Louisa said as she kissed his cheek and he arched his eyebrows up.

"What are we having for dinner?"

"Mandy made you your favorite," Alec said.

"We're having Chinese?!" Will asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, but you can't have anything spicy," he teased as he sat up and lightly poked Will in the stomach. Will laughed then made a little shrug while Louisa slid her arms around Will's shoulders and hugged him.


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: A little warning. Will and Devon talk about when he tried to kill himself. And Devon gets a surprise.**_

Chapter Twenty-one

Nathan opened the door as he looked at Devon and she pushed up the wire rim glasses with her finger.

"Hello," he said as she nodded while walking by him and he closed the door.

"Where is everyone?" she asked as she looked around and he leaned against the door, crossing on ankle over the other.

"Louisa took Alec to her parents' house for a playdate with her nephew and Will's taking a kip," he said while lightly kicking off the door and looked at her. "Mind telling me why you're here?"

"I have to testify in court on Friday in another case, so I decided to show up today."

Nathan gave her a suspicious look then nodded and looked toward the main bedroom.

"Let me go wake Will and tell him you're here."

"Mind if I go with you?"

"No," he said and they headed for the master bedroom. Devon stood in the doorway while she looked at Will sleeping and saw how peaceful he looked. She walked to the bed while Nathan removed the medical equipment and the medical file from the small table near the bed and she noticed Stripy was resting near Will's head. "Move bedding down to his waist."

"Ok," she said. Devon moved the bedding down to Will's waist when she noticed his left hand was facing up and she looked at the scar on his wrist. She reached over to touch the scar when she felt eyes on her and saw Nathan staring at her.

"Why are you two looking at each other like that?" Will asked with a sleepy tone after he had opened his eyes.

"She's looking at the scar on your left wrist," Nathan said and Will looked at Devon. He couldn't read her face, but he had seen the look in her eyes before in other people when they see the scar and he arched his eyebrows up.

"Is it alright for me to sit down?" Devon asked and Will barely nodded his head. Devon sat on the edge of the bed when she picked up Will's left wrist and looked at the scar. "Was this from the accident?"

"No," Will said.

"How did it happen?"

"That is none of your business," Nathan said and Will glanced at him. Nathan understood what he wasn't saying as he nodded, walked out of the room and stood just outside the doorway. Will noticed Devon was waiting for him to say something as he looked at the ceiling and made a small sigh.

"I ran my wrist into a nail."

"You ran your wrist into a nail," she repeated and he realized she wasn't saying it as a question.

"It happened shortly after I was brought here. I loathed the idea of having to move back to the town I fought so hard to get away from. I wanted to go back to my flat in London, but they said my landlord wouldn't allow changes to the flat. It wouldn't have been that hard to do. The bathroom was big enough for wheelchair access and the floor plan was perfect. The problem was the flat only had one bedroom."

"Which would mean you couldn't have live-in help."

"Right," he said with a small nod. "I was looking around when I saw this nail sticking out of a doorway. There was enough room for me to position my wheelchair so the nail could pierce my wrist and I used the cane I use to push things onto my lap to keep my wrist in place then flicked the joystick with my finger until the nail ripped open my wrist."

"Where were your parents?"

"They were outside talking to the head of the construction firm they hired to build the annex."

"Who found you?"

"It was my father. I was barely conscious when he finally found me and I begged him to leave me alone. To let me die."

"But he didn't do that."

"No, he didn't. I was taken to the hospital, was stitched up, was given a few pints of blood and placed on anti-depressants."

"Are you still on them?"

"No."

"Was that the only time you thought about killing yourself?"

"No," Will said with a small shake of his head. "While I was in the hospital, I was talking to this intern. He said he shouldn't tell me, but there was a place in Switzerland which deals with assisted suicides."

"You mean Dignitas?"

"Yes," Will said then went silent.

Nathan knew he should go in the room when he heard the door open and quickly headed down the hallway. He saw Louisa and Alec as she helped Alec removed his coat and knit cap and hung the coats and the knit cap on the pegs near the door. She watched while Nathan walked to them and she saw the worry in his eyes.

"Follow me," he whispered and they headed for the kitchen. Louisa placed Alec on the kitchen island counter while watching Nathan pacing back and forth and she started to get scared. She knew he would have called if something had happened to Will, but it didn't stop her from chewing on her fingernail.

"Nathan, what's going on?" she finally asked and he stopped then leaned against the counter.

"Devon Sharpe is here," he said and Louisa frowned.

"Today isn't Friday."

"She said she couldn't be here on Friday because she was going to be in court."

"If that's true, why are you so upset?"

"She asked if she could help me get Will up from his kip..."

"That was nice of her."

"She saw the scar on Will's wrist," he said and Louisa's eyes widened.

"She saw his scar!?"

"Yeah, and he's telling her how he got it."

"He's _what_?!" she asked and felt her stomach dropping to her feet.

Devon watched Will while he tried to decide if he wanted to continue or not and he glanced at her.

"When I returned to the annex, I looked up articles about Dignitas. I even talked with several doctors who worked there before I made my final decision. I still recall how my family reacted when I told them they had six months to make peace with my decision then I was going to Switzerland," Will said.

"I take it didn't go over very well," Devon said.

"No, it didn't. They kept asking me to change my mind, but I wasn't going to. That was when my mother decided to do something drastic."

"What did she do?"

"She posted a job notice for a live-in companion. She thought having someone here with me all the time would show me life was still worth living and I would change my mind."

"Did she get any applicants for the job?"

"She did, but I would scare them off."

"How did you do that?"

"Have you ever seen My Left Foot?"

"Yes, I have."

"I can do a really good Christie Brown impression."

"You can?" she asked and he softly did his impression, making her laugh.

"That didn't work with most of them. Those were the ones who left because of my attitude."

"You acted like a real twat, hunh?"

"Yep!" he said then made a small smile.

"Will is telling Devon about what happened to his wrist," Nathan said and Alec looked at him.

"He told me he ran into a nail," Alec said.

"Yeah, he did."

"Why is he telling her?" Louisa asked.

"I have no idea," he said while Louisa picked Alec up off the counter and they left the kitchen. They headed for the master bedroom when Nathan hushed her and they stood against the wall. Nathan quickly peeked in the room as he watched Will looking at the ceiling and frowned.

"She's right," Will said.

"Who is?" Devon asked.

"Louisa. She told me I wasn't getting better physically, but I am getting better mentally. This conversation wouldn't have happened last year."

"Then why are we having this conversation?"

"It's because I like you and I trust you," he said and she saw the truth in his eyes. She thought for a few seconds when something clicked in her head and she placed his hand back on the bed.

"Why do I have a feeling Miss Clark was the live-in companion who finally helped you see life really is worth living?" she asked while arching her eyebrows up and Will softly laughed.

"You're right."

"Did you try to drive her away?"

"Yes, but no matter what I said or did…. No matter how rude I was… She kept showing up for work. She kept trying to knock down the walls I had set up."

"Did she succeed?"

"Yes, she did. I enjoyed seeing her and wondered what she was going to wear from one day to the next. It's true Nathan and I used to laugh about some of her outfits, but it wasn't because we were being rude. It was because she looked adorable."

Louisa looked at Nathan as he nodded and Louisa lightly nudged him.

"One of the things I admire about her is how caring and loving she is. Like when I do get ill. She doesn't just take care of me. She _stays_ with me and tries to make it easier for me to get through whatever it is that is making me ill."

Louisa tried hard not to cry as she looked at Will and he licked his lips.

"I remember when she first experienced an AD attack," he said then paused. "Do you know what AD is?"

"Yes, Nathan told me," Devon said with a small nod.

"I thought she would panic, but she just did what Nathan told her to do. She even told me an adorable and funny story to cheer me up and sang me the silliest song I've ever heard. What really convinced me she wasn't going anywhere was when I woke up and saw her sleeping at the foot of my bed."

Louisa blinked her eyes a few times as she thought back to the times she had fallen asleep at the foot of the bed while Will was recovering from the AD attack last year, but she had no idea he knew she was there.

"Was that the only time she took care of you when you were ill?"

"No. When I came down with pneumonia, I was surprised to see her at my bedside after I was taken to the hospital. She looked so worried and I felt terrible."

"Why?"

"She had planned this amazing holiday for me and I had really wanted to go."

"And you thought you had disappointed her by getting sick?"

"Yeah," he said with a small sigh. "But, instead of being upset about it, she goes and plans another holiday."

"Did you enjoy your holiday?"

"Lou," Alec said while tapping Louisa's chest and she looked at him.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Alec whispered in her ear and she nodded. They headed for the other room while Nathan peeked back in the room and Will looked at the wall.

"Yes," Will said with a small nod.

"When did you realize you were going to change your mind?" Devon asked.

"It was during a thunderstorm. Here I was with the woman I love and yet it was going to all end in a few days. I was going somewhere to have people help me to die. But how could I die and leave this wonderful woman to carry on without me? If I'm honest, I hoped the dampness coming in from the window would cause an AD attack and I wouldn't have to go to Switzerland."

"When did you decide you were going to tell her?"

"It was our last night. We were heading back to my room and she thought she would try one more time to change my mind."

"What did she do when you told her you had changed your mind?"

"She made this cute squeal and we danced under the moonlight. Well, I just moved my wheelchair in circles, but I was dancing on the inside," he said then looked toward the door and blinked. He had heard Alec's voice a few seconds ago as he glanced at Devon and she swore she saw a hint of a smile. "Did you hear something?"

"Shit," Nathan whispered then he headed down the hallway as Devon walked out of the room and smiled. She had a feeling he was spying on them when she walked back to the bed and sat down.

"Was there anyone out there?" Will asked.

"No, but I think someone was listening to our conversation," Devon said. He noticed she was fidgeting with the wide cuff bracelet she always wore and she looked down at her wrist. "You said you like me and trust me. So, maybe, I can trust you with something I have never told anyone."

"Lou?" Alec asked while she helped him wash his hands after he had used the toilet and she saw the worry in his eyes. "Is Miss Devon going to take me away?"

"Why would she take you away?" Louisa asked as she helped him dry his hands.

"Papa Bear is telling Miss Devon how he hurt his wrist, but we're not supposed to talk about it."

"Oh," Louisa said. She knew Will hadn't told Alec the real reason why he hurt himself as she carried Alec to the bed and sat down, placing him on her lap. She carded his hair as she tried to figure out what to tell him and he leaned against her chest.

"Lou," Nathan whispered as she looked at him and picked Alec off her lap, stood up and they left the room. Nathan walked in the bedroom as Devon turned to look at him and he silently admitted he liked her smile.

"Where are Lou and Alec?" Will asked and Nathan glanced at him. "I heard the door open then Alec calling her name then I heard the toilet flushing."

"We're right here," Louisa said as she walked in the room and Will smiled at her. She shook her head when Devon wanted to stand up as Devon saw the look on Alec' face and she pursed her lips.

"Is there something wrong?" Devon asked. Louisa placed Alec down on his feet when he walked to the bed and looked up at Devon.

"Are you going to take me away?" he asked and Devon felt her heart dropping.

"Why do you think I'm going to do that?"

"You took me away from the Sad Man because Miss Linda didn't feed me breakfast and I had to stay in my room."

"I told you, Little Mate. She showed up because she has to be in court on Friday," Nathan said.

"I know, but Papa Bear told her about his wrist."

"And you think I'll take you away because he told me what happened?" Devon asked and Alec nodded. Devon carefully picked Alec up when she placed him on her lap and she looked at Will then at him. "I was really surprised when he told me what happened, but, no, I'm not going to take you away."

"But you _were_ going to tell me something," Will said as a grin spread across his face. She felt herself shutting down, but the fact he had told her something he might have never told her proved just how much he_ did_ trust her. Louisa had gone to stand next to Nathan as Devon looked at them while Alec leaned against her and she wrapped her arms around him.

"Have you ever wondered why I became a Child Service agent?" she asked and Will barely nodded his head. "The reason I did was because, when I was ten, my brother, sister and I were placed in foster care."

"Why?" Alec asked.

"My Papa Bear wasn't as nice as yours is," she said, looking at Will. "He was mean and would hurt my brother, my sister and I as well as my mother."

"Mother?"

"Remember the lady in the video we saw about how babies are born?" Will asked.

"Yeah."

"That was the mother."

"Oh," he said as he elongated the "o".

"Why didn't your mum leave him?" Louisa asked and Devon looked at her.

"She tried a few times, but he would apologize and she would go back to him. The last time she went back to him, he came home in a very bad mood and my mother told us not to bother him," Devon said and her stomach started hurting.

"What happened?" Will asked. Devon looked at Alec as Will realized whatever happened was not appropriate for a young child and blinked his eyes a few times.

"He hurt me then tried to hurt my sister. My mother found out and she did something horrible to him. She took me, my brother and sister away, but she couldn't afford to take proper care of us and a neighbor called Child Services."

"Did you all get to go to the same place?" Alec asked.

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "They placed us in separate homes and I never saw them again."

"That's not fair."

"No, it wasn't," she said with a sigh. "I went from one foster home to the other, but none of them really wanted me. The last family I stayed with were nice enough to sponsor me to go to university and I decided I wanted to be a Child Service agent to help children who come from bad homes find the new ones and put away anyone who hurts a child."

Devon lowered her eyelids as Will looked at her then glanced down at the wide cuff bracelet on her right wrist while Alec knelt carefully on her thighs and hugged her. Smiling, Devon hugged Alec as he moved back and softly smiled.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I really need to examine Will and get him dressed," Nathan said. Devon looked at him then at Will when Will glanced at Nathan and arched his eyebrows up.

"Can she dress me after you done?" Will asked and Nathan nodded

After Nathan examined Will and wrote the information in Will's medical file, he went to get Will's shirt and handed the shirt to Devon. Louisa walked around to the other side of the bed to pick Alec off Devon's lap as Devon stood up and looked at the shirt then Will. He was wearing an undershirt, but she wasn't sure what to do next and he smiled.

"It's alright to touch me."

"I don't want to hurt you," Devon said.

"I felt the same the first time I had to dress him," Louisa said. Devon slid Will's left arm into the sleeve of the shirt as she looked at Nathan and he saw the question in her eyes.

"Move him toward you," Nathan said. Devon carefully moved Will forward as he leaned his head against hers and she moved the shirt around his back and carefully slid his right arm into the sleeve. She placed him against the pillows then buttoned the sleeves and the shirt and Will gave her a pleased look.

"Very good," Will said. She moved the bedding down when she saw he was wearing a pair of jeans and Nathan went to get Will's socks and trainers. Devon walked around to the other side of the bed when she took the socks and trainers from Nathan and Nathan told her how to put them on Will's feet without hurting him.

"Now what do we do?" Devon asked.

"You have to get me out of bed."

"How?"

"You need to use that," Nathan said and Devon looked at the lift chair then she looked at Will.

"Ok," she said with a grin while Nathan placed the wheelchair next to the bed and told her what to do. After Will was secure in the harness, Devon pushed the button and the harness lifted Will off the bed. Nathan helped her position Will over the wheelchair then she pushed the button and the harness lowered Will into the wheelchair. She helped take the harness off Will and lifted him into a comfortable position and Will smiled at her.

"Yay!" Alec cheered and Will swore Devon was blushing.

"Not bad for a first try," Will said and Devon laughed.

"Well, I guess I better go get dinner started," Louisa said as she headed for the doorway then turned and looked at Devon. "Are you staying?"

"Sure," Devon said. "Need some help?"

"Always," Louisa said and they walked out of the room while Alec followed close behind them. Will looked at Nathan while Nathan looked at the doorway and Will saw the worry in his eyes.

"You're not in trouble," Will said, making Nathan glance at him.

"I'm not?" he asked.

"Nope," he said with a small shake of his head and they left the room.

Nathan walked with Devon to her car when she removed the keys from her purse and opened the driver side door.

"Um….," Nathan said as he tried to get the courage to say what he wanted to say and sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry I acted like an arsehole."

"You were just doing your job. I would have done the same if I was taking care of him," Devon said.

"Are you talking about Will or Alec?" he asked and she laughed.

"Either one," she said and he smiled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Honestly, I really was surprised when Mister Traynor…"

"I think we're at the point now where you can call him "Will"."

"You're right," she said with a nod. "What I don't understand is why he said we wouldn't have talked about it if we had met last year."

"He was in a really dark place back then. You wouldn't have even let him anywhere near Alec with the way he was acting," he said with a sigh. Nodding, she got in the car as he placed his hand on the roof of her car and looked at her. "Anyway, would you….? Would you want to get a coffee or something some time?"

"Are you asking be out on a date?" she asked, arching her eyebrows.

"Yeah," Nathan asked with a nod. She knew Will, Louisa and Nathan had her cell number as she looked at the steering wheel for a few seconds then smiled.

"Sure," she said with a nod. "Call me."

"Right," he said as he lightly patted his hand on the roof of her car then walked back to the annex. She watched him walk inside when an old fear moved through her and she wondered if he asked her out because he liked her or because he felt sorry for her.

"Stop it," she growled while she closed the door, placed the key in the ignition and started the car. Shaking her head, Devon put the car in gear as the car moved down the drive and a grin spread across her face.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-two

"You what!?" Louisa asked while feeding Will some roast chicken and Camilla smiled.

"I have reserved a suite for you and William in Paris," Camilla said, sipping on some wine.

"Why?" Will asked.

"I thought it would be a nice place for the two of you to celebrate Valentine's Day," she said and Will glanced at Louisa.

"_Happy Valentine's Day!"_

"_What's so happy about it?"_

"_Don't be like that. Look! I bought you a present."_

"_What is it?"_

"_It's just a small box of chocolates."_

"_You know I'm not allowed chocolates."_

"_Oh. You are right. Sorry."_

"_Get out."_

Will blinked his eyes a few times as Louisa tried to feed him some green beans, but he wouldn't open his mouth.

"What's wrong, Papa Bear?" Alec asked. He got out of his chair when he rushed over to the wheelchair and placed his hand on top of Will's right hand, wrapping his fingers around Will's right index finger.

"Are you alright, Mate?" Nathan asked.

"Yes," Will said with a small nod and Louisa saw the look in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry about?" Louisa asked.

"Last Valentine's Day..."

"No, it was my fault," she said and he barely shook his head.

"I was so rude."

"I forgave you," she said and she gently stroked the side of his head.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes!" Louisa said with a grin.

"What about your classes?"

"I'll take my laptop and do my lessons while you take a kip."

"What about Alec?"

"I talked if over with Miss Sharpe and she said it would be ok for your mother to look after him," Nathan said.

"What about…?"

"William, stop fussing. Do you want her to think you don't want to go?" Camilla asked with a small chuckle.

"No, I want to go."

"Then relax. Things will be fine," she said, taking a sip of wine and smiled. Barely nodding, he smiled at Louisa while she placed Alec on his lap and she started feeding Will again.

_11 February_

The doors opened while the bellhop led Will and Louisa in the room and Louisa's eyes went wide. The main room was elegantly decorated with large French doors leading to the large balcony at the back of the room and crystal chandeliers were connected to the ceiling by golden chains. The furniture was placed to allow clear access for a wheelchair and double doors led to the bedroom.

"Wow," Will said with a cat-like tone as she nodded and the bellhop opened the double doors. He placed the suitcases on the large bed as he smiled at them and Louis walked closer. She paid him as he nodded then told her in perfect English where the bathroom was and she nodded. Will watched the bellhop leave the room as the doors closed and he looked toward the bedroom. He flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair headed for the bedroom then toward the window and he looked out at the city. Louisa walked out of the bathroom when she looked at him then felt a knot forming in her stomach and folded her arms over her stomach.

"I'm fine," he said and she became slightly startled.

"I didn't say anything," she said and he flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair to face her.

"You didn't have to," he said and the wheelchair headed for the bed. She walked to the wheelchair as she sat down on his lap and slid her arm around his shoulders. He leaned his head toward hers as she smiled and he glanced at her. "Sorry."

"No, it's ok."

"It's funny. I remember you telling me we should go to Paris to make new memories, but…"

"But now it doesn't feel right because Alec isn't here to share it."

"You're finishing my sentences," he said with a laugh and she kissed his cheek.

"I guess that proves just how in sync we are," she teased when he made a little moan and she sat up.

"That was a yawn."

"Guess the first new memory we're going to make is you taking a kip," she said. Will watched her get off his lap when she walked behind the wheelchair and set the breaks. A few minutes later, she snuggled next to Will as she placed her head against his shoulder and he closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

_12 February -_ _Louvre Museum_

Louisa was surprised to learn she and Will received free admission due to Will being in a wheelchair as they moved through the galleries and used the section specifically designated for wheelchair users to look at the Mona Lisa.

"I wonder why she's smiling like that," Louisa asked.

"Only Da Vinci knows why, but I think she was flirting with him," Will said with a small grin.

"Wasn't he old enough to be her granddad?" she asked and he coughed a laugh. They headed for another gallery when the wheelchair stopped and she knelt down, looking at him. "You ok?"

"I think my bag's full," he said in a soft voice and she stood up. A guide walked over to them when he gave her a concerned look and Will felt a little self-conscious about what she was going to ask.

"Is everything alright?" the guide asked.

"Where's the bathrooms?" Louisa asked and the guide looked at Will with a look which told him he understood why they needed it. He told her where the bathrooms were then asked if he could help her, but Louisa shook her head and they headed out of the room. They covered a few more galleries before Will became tired and they went back to the hotel so he could rest.

"Stop looking like that," Louisa said while sitting on the bed next to Will and he glanced at her.

"I can't help it. We barely covered half the museum," Will said.

"True, but, if I'm honest, even I was getting tired."

"Really?!" he asked, arching his eyebrows up.

"Really," she said, lightly tapping the tip of her index finger against the tip of his nose. "But I don't think we'll take Alec there."

"You're right. There were too many people."

"So, are you saying this was a good day?" she asked with a smug look.

"Yes, this was a very good day."

"And you don't regret going there with me?"

"No," Will said while elongating the "o". "Do you want to know why?"

"Yes."

"Every time I went there before my accident, the crowds were so thick that I could never get close enough to even see the Mona Lisa. I would also get so turned around that I would get lost. This was the first time I actually enjoyed it," he said as he made a soft moan, closed his eyes and she watched him drift off to sleep. She moved the bedding up after she got up then kissed the top of his head and left the room.

_14 February _

The smell of food woke him as Will opened his eyes and saw Louisa sitting on the bed next to him.

"Morning," he said in a sleepy tone.

"Morning," Louisa said then lightly kissed his lips. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"What's so happy about it?"

"I'm celebrating it with you," she said, brushing the hair from his eyes and he gave her sleepy grin.

"Did you order breakfast?"

"Yes, and it will be here by the time we're done with the morning routines."

"Can we eat breakfast in bed?"

"Yes, we can," she said and he watched her get out of the medical equipment and his medical file. A few minutes later, Louisa pushed the cart in the room as he watched her and she parked the cart near her side of the bed. She turned the teacups over when she poured the tea into the teacups and placed a drop of lemon juice into Will's teacup. She placed one of the saucers on the night table when she held onto the other saucer and teacup and helped Will take a sip of tea. She placed the saucer next to the other saucer when she got up and removed the lid of the plate and looked at the egg white omelets and some lightly toasted wheat bread. She picked up the napkin and the forks as she got back under the bedding and they shared the omelets and the bread. When they were finished, he watched her dip the peach slices in the vanilla yogurt as she fed him and she sweetly kissed his lips.

"You taste so good," he said with hooded eyes.

"You do, too," she said and kissed his lips again. He watched her sit up when she opened the night table drawer and removed a small red velvet box. She moved the head of the bed up a little more as he looked at the small red velvet box and she placed it in his right hand. She opened the small red velvet box as he looked at the ring and blinked. The metal was gold and silver twined together with two linked hearts on the top and she slid the ring on his right ring finger.

"Clark….," he sighed and she placed the small red velvet box on the night table. He watched her get up when she went into the bathroom and came out with the medication he was taking so they could get intimate and she removed the medical equipment and the medical file. She examined him, gave him the medications then placed the medical file and the equipment away and sat on the bed. He saw the look in her eyes as a smiled spread across his face and she brushed the hair from his eyes.

"Ready?" she asked and he barely nodded his head. She slowly unbuttoned the buttons of his pajamas top when she moved her fingers through the soft hairs on his chest and felt the rise and fall of his breathing. She moved him forward to remove the pajamas top as she placed it on the bed and lowered him back on the pillows. She wasn't sure what he wanted her to do as he blinked and she moved her fingers over the soft chest hair.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Remember that night on the beach when you told me what you wanted to do to me?"

"Yes."

"Well, I know what I want to do you, but I don't want to do something you don't like. And I don't want to hurt you."

"I trust you," he whispered and she carefully climbed on top of him. She leaned closer then cupped his head in her hands and he looked deeply into her eyes. She kissed his lips, the tip of his nose then his forehead as he closed his eyes and felt her fingers lightly stroking his hair. Her pinkies slid behind his ears when his eyes snapped open and she saw the slight panic in his eyes. Shaking her head, she moved her hands down his neck to his collarbones and his breathing started to increase. She grazed her fingers over the pulse points in his neck as his pulse thumped strong and steady and he made a content smile. She carefully moved her hands down his body when he made a little moan and she saw the pain in his eyes.

"Hold on," she said as she got off of him then got out the medical equipment and checked his vitals. His blood pressure was spiking a bit as she frowned and he glanced over at her with a hurt look on his face.

"Damn," he sighed while she wrote the information in the medical file and placed the equipment in the drawer. She gave him some medication then wrote the information in the medical file and Will looked up at the ceiling.

"Don't," she said, placing the medical file in the drawer as he frowned and he glanced at her. "Don't tell me you're sorry."

"But I am," he said and she patted his chest. He watched her while she placed the pajamas top back on him then snuggled on the bed with him and placed her head against his shoulder.

"Not bad for a first try," she said and he knew she was right. Up until he felt the blood pounding in his ears, he was enjoying what they were doing. It reminded him of one of the many dreams of having sex with her and a corner of his mouth twitched up.

"Is there any food left?" he asked and she sat up then looked over at the cart.

"Yeah," she said as she got up and picked up the bowl of vanilla yogurt and a bowl of strawberries. She sat on the bed when she started feeding him and helped him feed her. He looked at the ring when something clicked and he glanced over at the wheelchair.

"Your presents are in the basket of my wheelchair," he said. Louisa wiped their fingers off with the napkin when she placed the bowls on the cart after getting up and walked to the wheelchair. She removed the small gift bag when she walked back to the bed and sat next to Will. She moved his right arm around her as she opened the gift bag and saw the red and pink teddy bear. She took the teddy bear out of the gift bag when she opened the scroll tucked in the bow around the teddy bear's neck and looked at the child's drawing of three people. "That's from Alec."

"No," she said as she elongated the "o" and he laughed. She removed the long red velvet box when she opened it and saw the silver chain with a heart locket on the end. A bumblebee was etched onto the locket and she looked at Will with tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Open the locket," he said and she opened the locket. Inside the locket were two photos and one of the photos was Will and the other was Alec. She sniffed as he watched her close the locket and pressed the locket to her lips. "Look at the back."

She looked at the back of the locket when she looked at the date which was engraved on it and she placed the silver chain around her neck. The locket rested near her heart as she leaned her head against Will's head and he made a little sigh.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," he said and silently growled inside his head from not being able to reach over and kiss the side of her head.

"The date on the back…"

"Is the day I had my AD attack and you told me the story about those bumblebee tights."

"Was that when you realized you were falling in love with me?"

"No, that day was during the thunderstorm. This was when our friendship started."

She placed her head against his chest as she listened to the gentle beating of his heart and moved his arm around her. They became silent as he looked at the ceiling and she looked at the wall and her hand gently moved to hold onto his shoulder.

"What do you want to do now?" she finally asked, looking up at him.

"I want to go for a walk," he said with a small grin and she lightly kissed his chest over his heart.

_Café Marquis - Rue Des Fracs Bourgeois_

Louisa glanced at Will while he looked straight ahead and she hoped he wasn't too angry. He had told her about how he liked to sit outside the café and have coffee while watching people going by, so she had made reservations for them to have lunch. The cobblestone pathway was filled with holes which could stop a wheelchair, but Will seemed to find a path around the holes and stopped the wheelchair near the table. Will parked the wheelchair then pushed the button to raise the seat while Louisa sat down and the waiter handed her the menu. Nodding, she watched the waiter walk away then looked at Will and felt a cold knot forming in her stomach.

"We don't have to stay," she said, reaching over to touch his left hand. He didn't say anything as she sighed and looked at the menu. He glanced at her from time to time when the waiter came over and she told him what they wanted to eat and drink. Smiling, the waiter walked away while she tried to move the chair, but nearly fell over and Will sighed, rolling his eyes.

"I told you the chairs were crap," he said. The waiter brought the food and drinks as she started feeding Will, but he didn't seem interested in the food. Louisa placed the fork down when she looked at him and Will arched his eyebrows up.

"This isn't working."

"What isn't working?"

"This. I thought you would like to sit in a café and have lunch with me, but it appears I was wrong. I've ruined Valentine's Day."

"Do you remember when we went to my friend's concert? I didn't say anything until we came back to the annex."

"You teased me about not liking it."

"Yes, I did, but what did I say when you wanted to take me inside?"

"You said you didn't want to go in. You just wanted to sit there and be a man who had just gone to a concert with a girl in a red dress."

"And now… Now, I want to be a man who is having lunch in Paris with his fiancé."

Louisa felt like crying as she squeezed his hand, picked up the fork and started feeding him.

_The Seine_

The wind blew through their hair while Louisa walked next to the wheelchair and had her hand on Will's right shoulder. He noticed some people looked at him with pity or disgust in their eyes, but he ignored them and smiled sweetly when some women smiled at him.

"Are you getting tired?" Louisa asked, glancing at him.

"No," he said with a small shake of his head when he saw a woman selling roses and he moved the wheelchair toward her. The woman had snow white hair and gray eyes and smile lines dented her cheeks. He asked if she spoke English and she nodded then he glanced at the roses in her basket. He bought a small bundle of yellow roses as Louisa paid her and Louisa held the little bundle in her hands. He thanked the woman as the woman smiled and wished them a Happy Valentine's Day. They moved by some of the tourist when Will stopped the wheelchair and Louisa turned to look at him.

"What's wrong?" Louisa asked, walking back to the wheelchair, placed the roses in the basket in the back of the wheelchair then she carefully sat on his lap.

"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to stop," he said and she placed her head against his head. She slid her arm around his waist as they watched people going by and she moved her fingers slowly up and down his side. Suddenly the sounds of people playing violins filled the air as he looked over at the street performers on the small stage then glanced at Louisa and she slowly closed her eyes. The music was light and slow as he flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair moved side to side then in small circles and she smiled. He didn't care if people were watching as they danced, but he was a little surprised when people clapped after the music had stopped.

"Why can't you do something like that?" an older woman said to her husband as they walked by and the man looked back at Will and Louisa.

"You know I can't dance," he said and the woman laughed, placing her arm around his and they walked away.

_17 February _

Will kept his eyes closed while Louisa moved the razor slowly down his cheek and she felt the soft skin under her fingers. She washed the shaving cream off the razor as she looked at Will and started shaving him again.

"What do you want to do today, Clark?" he asked.

"Well, seeing how this is our last day in Paris, I thought we'd go to the Eiffel Tower," she said and carefully moved the razor under his chin.

"I do like the idea of kissing you while we look at the city from the observation deck, but I know somewhere where we can see the whole city."

"Where is that?" she asked and dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled.

_Montparnasse Tower – 56__th__ Floor_

The lift doors opened as Will flicked the joystick with his finger and they headed toward the window. Louisa was surprised with the view as he followed her around the observation deck and she turned to look at him.

"Well, was I right!? Isn't the view amazing!?" Will asked.

"Yes, it is!" she said as she walked to the window and looked at the Eiffel Tower. He moved the wheelchair to sit next to her as she leaned over and kissed his lips. He sighed through his nose when she moved back and walked behind the wheelchair then slid her arms around his shoulders. He glanced at her after she placed her head against his and she gave him a small smile.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" he asked a few minutes later and she looked over at the café.

"No," she said with a shake of her head when she stood up straighter and looked at the gift shop. Will turned the wheelchair around when he saw what she was looking at and made a little laugh. After they went inside the gift shop, Louisa looked at the coffee cups, t-shirts and other souvenirs when she picked out a child's t-shirt with PARIS on the front and Will barely nodded his head. She paid for a coffee mug and the t-shirt when they left the gift shop and went back to the window. She carefully sat on his lap when she leaned her head against his and slowly slid her arm around his shoulders.

**_A/N: I was going to take them to the Eiffel Tower, but I did some research and the Montparnsse Tower was better for someone in a wheelchair._**


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N: Will finally tells Alec about his accident. **_

Chapter Twenty-three

Will looked at the photos of tuxedos while trying to figure out which on he wanted to wear for the wedding then leaned his head against the headrest and sighed.

"It would help if I knew what kind of wedding we're having," he whispered then flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around. "Computer off."

The computer turned off as the wheelchair left the room and Will steered the wheelchair toward the window. He stopped the wheelchair then looked out the window and slowly blinked. He hated when Alec and Louisa were at school as he sighed and his eyes started closing.

"There you are," Nathan said while walking closer then knelt down next to the wheelchair. "What's wrong?"

"Where do you want me to start?" Will asked after opening his eyes.

"Follow me," Nathan said after he stood up when he headed for the door and Will flicked the joystick with his finger. Nathan helped him put on his coat, gloves, scarf and a knit cap then opened the door while they headed outside and they headed down the pathway. They came to a stop near the garden wall when Nathan sat on the top of the wall and Will looked at him.

"Is there a reason why we're out here?"

"Yeah. The reason is I don't like it when you get like this. True, you are allowed to have bad days, but you have had more than your fair share of them these last few months. Enough is enough."

"What am I supposed to do?!"

"Do what you're doing."

"What?!"

"You're yelling. Keep going."

"Are you serious?" he asked with a confused look.

"One of my instructor told me getting your patient to let out their frustrations is one way for them to accept their condition and, if possible, heal."

"Sound advice, but I have screamed and yelled before."

"Most of the time it was you doing your Christie Brown impression or you were just being an arse," he said with a smile and Will laughed. "What I want is for you to just scream."

"No," Will said. Nathan hopped off the wall when he walked to the wheelchair and placed his hands lightly on Will's wrists. Will's eyes widened when Nathan roared in his face and Will blinked. Nathan roared at him again while Will arched his eyebrows up then his eyes became angry slits. He knew he couldn't breath in as deeply as he wanted as he screwed his eyelids shut and roared. Nathan yelled louder as Will screamed again when something grew inside him and he grit his teeth. The pressure built, but there was no pain as he opened his eyes and Nathan gently arched Will's head back. A deep, nearly inhuman roar came from Will until his voice cracked and tears rolled down his cheeks. His voice faded when Nathan lowered Will's head and they looked deeply into each other's eyes. Will was breathing deep and fast through his nose as Nathan cupped the back of Will's head in his hand and both of them went forehead to forehead.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah," Will said in a nearly breathless voice.

"Will?!" came from behind them as Will flicked the joystick with his finger and turned the wheelchair around. Louisa, Alec and Camilla ran down the path as Nathan stood straighter and placed his hand on Will's right shoulder.

"Why was he screaming?!" Camilla demanded.

"I was screaming because I felt like it, Mother," Will said and Alec carefully climbed onto his papa's lap.

"That was really loud," Alec said and Will glanced down at him.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Louisa asked as she knelt down next to the wheelchair and placed her hand on top of his right hand.

"Yes, Clark, I'm fine," Will said.

"Sorry if I upset everyone. I just thought Will needed to vent," Nathan said.

"By screaming at the top of his lungs?" Camilla asked.

"Most of my patients seem to enjoy it."

"And it did help," Will said with a little crack to his voice.

"Hold on," Nathan said as he walked to the back of the wheelchair and removed a plastic water bottle from the basket. He flipped up the built-in straw as he handed the plastic water bottle to Alec and Alec helped Will take a few sips of water.

"Thanks," Will said while one of the butlers walked to them and Camilla looked at him.

"Is everything alright?" the butler asked.

"Yes. William was just venting," Camilla said, glancing at Will then a small smile appeared on her face.

"I see. Then I guess I should tell Master William's visitor to come back another time."

"What visitor?" Louisa asked after standing up.

"It's Mrs. Freshwell."

"Alicia's here?" Will asked while a sense of dread moved through him.

"No, Sir. It's the elder Mrs. Freshwell."

"I wonder what she wants," Camilla said.

"Let's go find out," Will said then glanced at Alec then looked at Louisa. "Take Alec inside."

"Why can't I go with you?" Alec asked.

"We don't want her to know you're here."

"Why?"

"She might tell the Bad Lady," Louisa said.

"Oh," he said, elongating the "o". Louisa picked Alec off Will's lap as Will followed Camilla and the butler and Alec placed his cheek on Louisa's left shoulder.

Alice was sitting on the couch when Camilla and Will entered the room and Will steered the wheelchair to the couch.

"Hello, William," Alice said.

"Hello," Will said.

"It's nice to see you again, Alice," Camilla said and Alice nodded. At one time, she and Alice were close friends, but, after Will broke things off with Alicia then Will's accident, Alice seemed rather distant. Now that she knew the reason why, Camilla felt such sorrow for her.

"I guess you're wondered why I'm here," Alice said.

"We were wondering."

"I'm here because something had happened with Rupert."

Will couldn't feel it, but he knew his stomach had dropped and the muscles in his jaw twitched.

"William told me about his heart. Has it gotten worse?"

"No," Alice said while a smile spread across her face. "They have found a donor."

"He's getting a new heart?" Will asked.

"Yes, in fact, the surgery is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon."

"That's great!"

Alice saw the look in Will's eyes when she got up, walked to the wheelchair and carefully hugged him. He leaned his head against hers as he sighed and she lightly stroked the side of his head. She moved back while he smiled up at her and she smiled back.

"Do you know who the donor is?" Camilla asked.

"Yes," she said with a nod of her head. "It was this young university student. He had been…"

Will wondered why she had stopped when she sighed and lowered her head.

"He had been riding his motorbike. He wasn't wearing a helmet and crashed. He was severely brain damaged and on life support, but his parents got the right to turn it off."

"I see," Camilla said and Will understood why Alice stopped. He had been slightly leery of motorbikes since the accident and he gave Alice a little nod.

"He was on the organ donor list, so imagine our surprise when he was a perfect match for Rupert."

"I thought perfect matches only happen with family members," Will said.

"That is what I said to my husband. It turns out the young man who died was… He was our nephew."

"Oh," Camilla said and moved closer to place her hand on top of Alice's hand.

"Mark and his brother had a falling out years ago. We didn't even know he had a son."

"Was it their only son?"

"No, he had four older brothers."

"Wow," Will whispered.

"Well, I have to go," Alice said after they had talked for a while as she stood up and Will followed her to the door. She opened the door as she smiled down at him and he smiled back.

"Call and tell us when Rupert can have visitors."

"I will," she said then left and Camilla closed the door. He glanced at his mother when she slid her arms around him for a hug and he placed his head against her head.

Will flicked the joystick with his finger after Nathan opened the sliding doors and Alec ran to the wheelchair. He carefully climbed onto Will's lap as he snuggled against his papa's chest and Nathan moved Will's arm so he could hold Alec.

"What did Rupert's mother want?" Louisa asked. Will steered the wheelchair to the couch then he parked the wheelchair next to couch. Nathan and Louisa sat down as Will looked at them then leaned his head against the headrest.

"She came to tell me something," Will said and Louisa felt her stomach sinking.

"Does it have to do with Alec?"

"No, it has to do with Rupert."

"What happened?" Alec asked and Will looked down at him.

"They found a donor for him."

"He's going to get a new heart?!" Louisa asked, arching her eyebrows up.

"Yes," Will said with a small nod.

"Wow," Nathan said, smiling.

"When is he having the surgery?" Louisa asked.

"It's scheduled for tomorrow afternoon." Will said.

"Can we go see him?" Alec asked.

"Well, he won't be in a good mood for visitors for a while, Buddy. His mother said she'll call us when he's up to it."

"We need to get him balloons. That will cheer him up," Alec said with a nod and Will wanted to lean his head down to kiss the top of his son's head. "Papa Bear, will you tell me something?"

"Sure."

"How are they going to give him a new heart?"

Will looked at Louisa and Nathan while Louisa tried not to smile and she shrugged. Will thought for a few seconds when he flicked the joystick with his finger and they headed for the den. Louisa watched while Will parked the wheelchair at the desk and he looked at the screen.

"Computer on," Will said. The computer powered on as he looked at the screen and blinked. "Find videos on heart transplant surgery appropriate for children."

They waited as the screen went blank then a list of videos appeared and Will was impressed that there were videos about it for someone Alec' age. They were animated as he read the descriptions then found one he thought Alec would like.

"Play video," Will said and the video started playing.

Will watched while Louisa pulled the bedding up to his shoulders when she crawled under the bedding then snuggled against him and slid her hand across his stomach.

"I'm fine, Clark," Will said and she placed her head against his shoulder.

"I know you are, but I still want to know why you were screaming earlier," Louisa said and he sighed.

"I want to know, too," Alec said while walking in the bedroom and climbed up onto the bed.

"What are you doing awake?" Will asked, watching Alec snuggle in between them.

"I couldn't sleep."

"I'm not sure if I can sleep either."

"Why were you screaming?"

"I was screaming because I was really angry," Will said and Louisa slid his arm around his son. Alec moved closer when he placed his head against Will's chest and could just hear his papa's heart beating.

"Are you still angry?"

"No, not really."

"Good," Alec said and Will smiled.

"Do you think you can go to sleep now?" Louisa asked.

"No."

"What if Papa Bear told you a story?"

"What sort of story?" Will asked.

"Will you tell me the story about how you got broken?" Alec asked.

Will became quiet for a few moments when he sighed and looked at the ceiling. He normally hated replaying his accident and the events which lead to it when he realized something and blinked his eyes a few times.

"Will?" Louisa asked and he glanced at her.

"I just realized something," Will said then paused and pressed his lips together. "You see, Rupert and I were working with a friend of ours, Jeff, and he lived in the city of Manhattan. That's in America. We thought the deal we had been working on for months was done, but it turned out the clients wanted to renegotiate, or talk about changing, some of the deal and didn't sign most of it."

"Can they do that?" Alec asked.

"Yes, they can," Will said with a small nod. "Now, Jeff needed to talk to me about it, but I was… I was doing something grown-up."

"Was it with the Bad Lady?"

"No, she was away at the time. Anyway, the lady I was with had told me to turn my phone off so we could do what we were doing and I did."

"Which means you missed the call," Louisa said and he barely nodded.

"I missed quite a few calls. Most of them were from Rupert."

"What would you have done if he was able to get in contact with you?"

"I would have gotten onto the first airplane to Manhattan," Will said and Louisa saw the look in his eyes. She thought about how different Will's life would have been if he had taken those calls and he gave her a look. "I know, Clark."

"You know what?"

"I know my life would have been different if I had taken the calls."

"What happened next?" Alec asked.

"Well, it was raining that morning. After I had woke up, I had taken a shower, gotten dressed and went down to the carpark. I talked with the security guard about if I should ride my motorbike…."

"You had a motorbike!?"

"Yes, I did," he said with a slightly proud look.

"Like the motorbike in the garage?"

"There's a motorbike in the garage?" he asked with a confused look.

"Yeah, I saw it when Louisa and I came back from school."

"So, that's what happened to it. I thought they sold it," Will said with a small smile. "Anyway, I decided not to ride my motorbike because it was raining a little too hard and I went to get a cab. The whole time I was walking down the pavement, I was talking to Rupert on the phone and wasn't thinking about where I was going. Just that I needed to get to work as soon as possible. Suddenly, I saw a cab across the street…"

"Did you look both ways before crossing the street?"

"Yes."

"Did you get hit by a car?"

"No, I got hit by a motorbike."

"Really?!"

"Really," he said with wide eyes and Alec giggled. "Now, one of the bad things about being broken wasn't just losing my old life or driving most of my friends away. It was losing my flat. It was the flat I bought once I had become successful. It was located in the best part of Central London. I could get to work within a half an hour or less. And I had decorated myself."

"Then why didn't you stay?"

"Even though I could have lived there in a wheelchair, there was only one bedroom and that meant I couldn't have someone stay with me and take care of me."

"Like Nathan and Lou?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"I wish we could have been able to see it," Louisa said.

"You can," Will said.

"How?" Alec asked.

"I have some videos of it on my laptop," Will said. Louisa carefully got out of bed while Alec pushed the button to raise the head of the bed up until Will was sitting up and she picked up the laptop. She walked back to the bed when she got under the covers then powered on the laptop. They looked at the screen when Will saw the video file folder and blinked. "Clicked on the video folder."

Louisa clicked on the folder while he scanned the files and a small smile moved over his face.

"Click on the fourth file."

Louisa clicked on the file when a playlist appeared and Will looked at the playlist.

"Clicked on the first video."

Louisa clicked on the first video when the screen went blank for a few seconds then a younger Will appeared on the screen. His hair was shaggy like the first day she had met him and he was wearing a dark blue jumper and jeans, but his feet were bare.

"_Hey, guys. Not sure who I'm talking to. Hopefully, it's my wife or kids. Anyway, take a look at this,"_ he said when he picked the video camera up, but the camera was pointed down at his feet as he started walking. _"Shit. Sorry."_

Louisa saw the look in Will's eyes while he watched himself walking and he made a small sigh.

"_Right. Check out the view,"_ Will said and the camera rose to look out at the city. He panned the camera left then right then turned around and they looked at the empty room. _"This is going to be the front room/dining room. Might put a bar over there."_

They saw his arm while the pointed to the right then the camera started moving. They went into the kitchen as he panned the camera and they heard him softly laughed.

"_This kitchen is awesome,"_ he said then turned and they went back into the main room. The camera moved into the master bedroom as he panned the camera then headed for the large, built-in wardrobe. _"I hope Alicia leaves me some room for my suits."_

"Did she?" Louis asked.

"Yeah, but not much," Will said with a sigh. They watched Will walking back to the bedroom when he walked in the bathroom and panned the camera. He walked to the shower as he walked inside and turned the camera around and smiled.

"_Pretty cool, hunh?"_ he asked then walked out of the shower back to the main room. He placed the camera back on the tripod when he stood back and placed his hands in front of him_. "Ok, that's it for now. I might make another one. Stay tuned."_

They watched him turn the camera off when Louisa looked at Will and he had the look in his eyes when he was somewhere in his head.

"Will, are you alright?" she asked and he barely nodded his head.

"Did you make another one?" Alec asked.

"Play the second video," Will said and she clicked on the next video. The screen went blank for a few seconds then came on and Young Will smiled at them. He was wearing a white linen shirt and jeans and brown leather boots.

"_Hey guys,"_ he said with a small wave. _ "Well, the flat's all decorated. Let's have a look around."_

He picked up the camera when he walked to the window and panned the curtains.

"_I hate these things,"_ he said with a sigh then turned and panned the camera around the room. They looked at the furniture and a small bar with glass shelves behind it was to the right of the room. _"Not sure about most of the furniture either. Hopefully, I can talk Alicia into getting some new stuff at some point."_

Louisa looked at Will as he barely shook his head and she looked at the screen.

The camera pointed down at his feet while Will walked to the master bedroom then the camera rose up. He panned the room when he walked to the window and panned the curtains.

"_These definitely have to go,"_ he said then headed for the walk-in closet. _"I was right. She gave me just enough room for my suits. Barely."_

He panned the inside of the walk-closet then headed for the bathroom and panned the room. He headed out of the room when he walked to the kitchen then turned the camera around.

"_Ok, I bet you have seen this and heard the story, but, if not…,"_ he said when he turned the camera around and walked to the right. He stopped near a wooden wall plaque when he zoomed in and the top of the plaque was a wooden bowl of pasta with red sauce and three meatballs. EAT was underneath as he scanned down and what looked like a wooden glass of wine appeared. DRINK was underneath as he scanned down to what looked like a wooden heart appeared. LOVE was underneath as he scanned down and what looked like a wooden city of Venice was underneath. LIVE was underneath and ANGELO'S was underneath that. _"Angelo's was my favorite restaurant when I go to Italy. I made quite a few deals there and the food was phenomenal. Anyway, the last time I was there, he told me he was retiring and was going to close the restaurant. I asked him why and he told me he was just getting too old and, sadly, his kids didn't want to keep the place running. Then he told me to take something to remember him by and, seeing how this was hanging on the wall near my usual table, I took this."_

Will walked back to the main room when he placed the camera on the tripod and smiled.

"_Well, that's it. I might do some more videos. But, for now, bye!"_ he said with a wave then turned the camera off. Louisa looked at Will as he looked at the ceiling and she brushed some hair out of his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Louisa asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Will said.

"What happened to the sign?" Alec asked.

"I don't know," Will said when he made a small moan and Louisa turned the video then the laptop off. She got out of bed when she placed the laptop on the table, turned and smiled. Will and Alec had closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep and she walked back to the bed, turned the lights off, crawled under the bedding and moved the bedding up. She slid her arm around Alec as he sighed then she kissed Will's cheek, closed her eyes and followed them into sleep.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-four

Louisa looked at the text while she headed down the walkway and smiled. She walked through the kitchen when she nodded to the cook and Amanda then went into the main room and was surprised when she saw Camilla sitting on the couch.

"Hello, Dear," Camilla said.

"Hello," Louisa said.

"Have Nathan and William come back from his appointment?"

"Not yet," she said then sat on the couch across from her.

"Where is Alec?"

"He's down for a kip," she said and Camilla frowned. She was getting good at reading Louisa as she placed her hands on her lap and sat up straighter.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, not really," Louisa said with a small shake of her head. "You see, last night, Alec asked Will about his accident and Will told him what happened."

"I'm surprised he even talked about it," Camilla said with a sigh. "It's amazing how much he's changed."

"Yes," Louisa said with a nod. "One of the things he mentioned was his old flat and how sad he was about losing it."

"He couldn't stay there."

"You're right. He couldn't, but he was able to show us what it looked like."

"How?"

"He had made some videos of it."

"Ah."

"One of the things in the video was this plaque he had in the kitchen."

"The one he received from Angelo?"

"Yes, do you know where it is?"

"I think it's in the attic."

"Would it be alright if I put it in the kitchen? He seemed a little upset about not knowing what happened to it."

"Of course," Camilla said with a nod of her head. "If there is anything else up there you'd think he'd like then have some of the servants bring them down."

"Thank you," Louisa said as she got up and headed for the stairs. Camilla watched her go upstairs when she smiled, stood up and walked to the den.

One of the servants told Louisa where the door to the attic was as she opened the door, went up the stairs after turning the light on and was surprised with how large the loft was. She saw a leather-bound book on a small table as she opened the book and saw a detailed map and locations of where everything was located. She walked by sheet covered furniture and paintings, old trunks, plastic containers of a variety of items and what looked like an old dressing dummy when she found plastic containers and sheet covered furniture marked **WILL** and smiled. She opened the first plastic container when she saw a photograph album with a green cover and opened the cover. She looked at the photographs of Will as a baby as she softly laughed then closed the cover and tried to find the plaque.

"Right. Where are you?" Louisa asked, walking in a circle then jumped when something fell against one of the plastic containers. She walked to the white sheet when she moved the white sheet back and smiled.

"We're back!" Will said after Nathan had opened the door and Will flicked the joystick with his finger.

"In here," Louisa said and he steered the wheelchair toward the kitchen. He stopped the wheelchair near the kitchen island as he looked around with his eyes and noticed there were some of the things from his old kitchen on the counters.

"Where did all this come from?"

"Lou found them in the attic," Alec said as he walked to the wheelchair and carefully climbed onto his lap.

"I hope you don't mind," Louisa said while walking to the wheelchair and knelt down.

"No, I don't mind, but why did you do this?" Will asked.

"Well, you seemed a little sad while we watched the videos last night…"

"I was, but it didn't mean you had to do all this."

"She found Angelo," Alec said, smiling up at him.

"She found what?"

"I found that," Louisa said as she pointed behind him and Will flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around. He looked at the plaque hanging on the wall as he moved the wheelchair closer and looked at it. Louisa walked closer when he glanced up at her and she started chewing on her fingernail.

"Don't do that," he said and she placed her hand down. He looked at the plaque then at her when the dimples dented his cheeks and he softly laughed. "Louisa…."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

She leaned down to kiss his lips as he sighed through his nose and Nathan sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Kid present," Nathan teased and they moved back while Alec giggled.

"What else did you find?"

"Follow me," Louisa said as they left the kitchen and headed for the main room. Will noticed a few paintings he had in his old flat on the walls as he smiled and looked at the small wooden base with wooden balls on top sitting on the coffee table. He had bought the wooden balls during a trip to France and he shivered when a memory moved across his mind. They headed for the den when he saw some more paintings then noticed the photograph albums on the bookshelves.

"Are those my old photograph albums?" Will asked, glancing at her.

"Yes, they are," Louisa said and walked to the bookcase. She looked at the spines of the photograph albums when she found the right one and removed the photograph album. She opened the cover when she looked at the photographs while a small smile spread across her lips and she placed the photograph album on Alec and Will's laps. She held the photograph album up so Will could see as Alec' eyes widened and Will smiled.

"That's me!" Alec said as he pointed to the photograph of Will sitting on what looked like a stone turtle.

"No, that's me!" Will said with wide eyes and they looked at some more photographs. Louisa noticed Will's eyes were drooping as she closed the photograph album and Will gave her a confused look. "Why did you do that?"

"You know you get sleepy after seeing one of your specialists. Time for a kip," Louisa said and he pouted.

"Yeah. Time for a kip," Alec said and lightly poked Will's chest.

"You're ganging up on me, too?" Will asked and Alec nodded. Will sighed after rolling his eyes then flicked the joystick with his finger and they left the den.

Will looked at the ceiling while Louisa crawled under the blankets and he noticed she had the folder with the wedding plans in her hands.

"Why do you have that?" Will asked and she looked at the folder then slid her head against his.

"I thought we'd talk about the wedding. I know I've left you out of most things, but that was because you have enough on your mind with work and what's going on with Alicia."

"I was wondering why you did that."

"Am I forgiven?"

"Yes," he said and she gently kissed his lips.

"Now…," she said as she opened the folder and he looked at the photographs of wedding cakes. "I am still undecided about which cake we should have. All of these are sugar-free, but I like the decorations of this one."

"I like that little fountain the first one has on the second tier and the flowers on the second one."

"I liked that fountain, too, but the third one is large enough for the number of people we're inviting."

"How about we combine the three of them together?"

"Create our own cake?"

"Yeah. My mother knows a cake designer who could make one for us."

"Could they make the children cakes like the ones around the third cake?"

"I think so," Will said then she turned the page with the menu printed on it. He looked at the food when he pressed his lips into a thin like and glanced at her. "Clark, most of the food is tropical."

"You weren't supposed to see that!" she said and turned the page.

"Clark…"

She turned the page back as he looked at the menu and she started chewing on her fingernail.

"Don't do that."

"So much for the surprise," she said with a sigh and he gave her a small grin.

"You're planning a beach wedding."

"Well, you looked so happy when you told me about the wedding you were in when you were in Hawaii. I thought you'd like a wedding like that."

"I love the idea. Where did you plan on having it?"

"I thought Mauritius and they did say they have several ceremonies to pick from."

"Which one did you pick?" he asked and she showed him the next page. He looked at the information while his eyebrows arched up and the dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled. "Wow!"

"I have been checking the budget and…"

"You don't have to worry about that. My parents will gladly pay for the wedding."

"I know, but my parents can't afford to put in much and…"

"I'm sure they're going to be happy just buying you your wedding gown."

"Mum wants me to wear my nan's wedding gown."

"You don't want to?"

"No, I do, but it's really old."

"And you want something modern?" he asked as he arched his eyebrows up.

"I don't know."

"Well, whatever you decide, you are going to look amazing," he said and she sat up a bit, leaned over and kissed his lips. He sighed through his nose as she placed the folder on the bed and slid her hand onto his shoulder. She moved back as he looked at her and she stroked his cheek. She saw what he wanted in his eyes when she got out of bed, went into the bathroom to get his medication and examined him after giving him the medication and checked his vitals. She placed the folder on the night table when she got under the covers and Will barely nodded his head. Carefully, she unbuttoned his pajamas top when she kissed his collar bones and he half closed his eyes. She moved closer to kiss his lips as she carefully tipped his head to one side and moved her fingers through his hair. Some time later they rested under the bedding with her head against his chest and his heart thumped hard and a little fast in her ear. He had teared up at one point as did she and his right arm was wrapped around her.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he said and she kissed his chest. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said as he moaned and she looked up to see he had closed his eyes. Smiling, she looked at the wall while his breathing evened out then his heart slowed and she moved her fingers in small circles on his chest.

_6 March – Central London_

The van pulled into the handicap parking spot as the doors opened and Louisa got out of the van. She closed the door when she walked around to the passenger side door and opened the door. She removed Alec from the car seat then placed him on his feet and closed the door. They walked around to the back of the van when she opened the doors and Will smiled at them. She climbed into the van when she released the breaks then got out of the van and Will flicked the joystick with his finger. The wheelchair moved onto the small lift as Louisa set the breaks then pushed the button and the small lift lowered the wheelchair to the ground. Will flicked the joystick with his finger as he moved the wheelchair forward and Louisa pushed the button to recall the small lift. After closing and locking the back doors, placing the strap of the overnight bag over her left shoulder then picking up Alec, they headed for the door and **BRIGHT SMILES STUDIOS **was painted in bright colors on the window. Will looked at some of the photographs on display in the window as he glanced at Louisa and frowned.

"Remind me again why we're doing this," Will said and Louisa smiled. She had talked him into having pre-wedding photographs done and Will and Alec had gotten their hair cut and were wearing matching outfits.

"We didn't do any engagement photos, so I thought it would be nice to have some professional family photos for the annex," Louisa said.

"But Nathan's not here," Alec said.

"Nathan said he'll be in the next ones."

Louisa opened the door as Will steered the wheelchair inside and they looked at the framed photographs in black frames on the walls. A young woman with long blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail was sitting at the reception desk and she was wearing a black jumper, black trousers and black leather boots.

"Hello," she said as Louisa looked at her and walked to the reception desk.

"Hello. I am Louisa Clark. We have an appointment with Marcus," Louisa said and the receptionist looked over at Will and Alec. Louisa saw a certain look in her gray eyes as the receptionist sighed and looked at the screen. She typed on the keyboard when she nodded and stood up.

"I'll go tell him you're here," the receptionist said as she walked by the curtain to the backroom and Will steered the wheelchair to the receptionist desk.

"Why do I have a feeling this is not going to be a good day?" Will asked and Louisa frowned.

"Don't be so sure, Will," the young man who came out from behind the curtain said and Will's eyes slightly widened. Marcus Kirkdale was tall with long blonde hair draped over his shoulders and shiny blue eyes. He was dressed in a black jumper, which accented his muscles, black trousers and black trainers and a pair of dark lens sunglasses was perched on the top of his head.

"Marc?!" Will asked as Marcus walked closer and carefully hugged him.

"I take it you know each other?!" Louisa teased as Marcus moved back and placed his left hand on Will's right shoulder.

"We went to upper grades together," Marcus said and Will barely nodded.

"The last time I saw him was at Logan's wedding," Will said.

"And whose fault is it that we haven't seen each other since, Mate?"

"Mine," Will said then looked at Louisa and Alec. "May I introduce my fiancé, Louisa, and my son, Alec."

"Hello," Marcus said with a nod. "Now, let's go to the studio."

Marcus led the way as they went passed the receptionist and Louisa gave her a smug look. They entered the studio as they looked at the light stands, the tripods with different cameras mounted on them, three background screens and some cables which connected the cameras to the computer monitors. There was also a small standing fan, four windows with their shutters closed and several framed photographs on the walls.

"Shall we get started?" Marcus asked and Will barely nodded. "Will, please move over here."

Will steered the wheelchair to where Marcus wanted him as Marcus helped him position the wheelchair and Louisa helped sit Will up a bit. She brushed the hair out of his eyes as she stood back and looked at him. He was wearing a tan linen shirt, brown trousers and shoes and Louisa was wearing a green dress with a white trimmed collar and white buttons, red, yellow and orange flowers print and gray stripes, a yellow belt, yellow crystal ear rings a wrist watch with a green framed face and a yellow plastic band and white trainers. Marcus positioned Will so he was sitting in profile as Louisa moved Will's hands so his right hand was cupped over the control panel then leaned the back of the wheelchair back a bit. Will rested his head back against the head rest as he looked at Louisa and smiled.

"Ok, Louisa, I need you to stand here," Marcus said as she stood next to Will's left near his left knee and Marcus walked to the cameras. Alec was watching them from the chair Louisa had sat him on when Marcus smiled and checked the cameras. "So, how old's your son?"

"I'm four," Alec said, holding up four fingers.

"Wow!" Marcus said with wide eyes when he walked over to him and handed Alec a pair of dark lens children sunglasses. "Put those on. It's going to get bright in here."

"Ok," Alec said, placing on the sunglasses.

Smiled, Marcus walked to the standing fan then looked at Will.

"Is it ok if I use the fan?" Marcus asked.

"Yeah," Will said.

Marcus flipped the switch as the blades of the fan started moving and the air moved Louisa's hair back. Marcus walked to the cameras when he checked then looked at Louisa and Will then nodded.

"Ok, just look at each other and smile," Marcus said and Will locked eyes with Louisa. He wasn't sure what happened, but he saw her love in her eyes as he smiled and Louisa saw the same in Will's eyes. They completely ignored the flashing lights while Marcus took the photographs, nodded, and went to turn the fan off. "Perfect."

"Now what?" Will asked while Louisa moved the back of the wheelchair so he was sitting up straight.

"I'll be right back," Louisa asked as she picked up the overnight bag and Marcus pointed to the changing room. A few minutes later, Louisa came out wearing a white sleeveless shirt with red rose buds prints, white trousers, white trainers and small red rectangle ear rings.

"Are you going to change clothes for all the photos, Clark?"

"Yep," she teased and he sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Ok, Will, I need you to sit facing me," Marcus said as Will turned the wheelchair to face him and Marcus checked the cameras. Louisa fixed Will's hair as well as give him a sip of water and placed the water bottle in the basket behind the wheelchair. Marcus walked over to them when he gently turned Will's head to the left then looked at Louisa.

"Ok, Louisa, I want you to stand behind him, lean to the left, place your arms around his shoulders and looked at him."

Louisa did as she was told while her hands rested on Will's chest and they smiled while looking deeply into each other's eyes.

"Perfect," Marcus said then looked at Alec. "Ok, Little Mate, I need you to go over there."

Alec got off the chair when he walked to the wheelchair and Marcus noticed Will and Alec were wearing the same outfits.

"Louisa, please place Alec on his lap."

Louisa placed Alec on Will's lap as Alec looked at Will and Will saw the worry in his son's eyes.

"Are you ok?" Alec asked.

"I'm fine," Will said with a small nod.

"We'll take a short break after I take these, ok?" Marcus said and Alec looked back at him and nodded. "Now, I want you to kneel on his thighs, place your hands on his chest and looked at him."

Louisa helped Alec pose as she took off the sunglasses he was wearing, gently lowered Will's head so he was looking at Alec and Marcus checked the cameras.

"Right. Just ignore the lights, don't move and smile."

Louisa stood out of the way while Alec and Will smiled at each other and Will arched his eyebrows up a bit.

"There. All done," Marcus said as he looked at them and smiled. "Now, we'll take a short break while I set up for the final photographs and you can got get changed."

"Changed?" Will asked.

"Yep. I brought a change of clothes for you two, too," Louisa said as she put the wheelchair on manual and they headed for the dressing room.

A short time later they came out of the dressing room and Will and Alec wore cream color linen shirts, cream color trousers and white trainers. Louisa wore a cream color jumper, a cream color skirt with red and yellow print flowers, white ankle socks with blue and pink print flowers and light blue low heels with straps at the back and blue pom-pom on the toes of the shoes. Will looked at the bed sitting in front of the white background screen as Marcus walked closer and rubbed his hands together.

"Right, let's get him onto the bed," Marcus said while Will frowned and Louisa moved the wheelchair toward the bed.

The first set of photographs were of Will lying on his back with his hands flat on the mattress and two pillows under his head. The bedding matched his clothes and Louisa was lying next to his right side with her right hand on his chest and her left hand resting on his left side. Her legs were bent up while she looked lovingly at Will and he was looking at her.

The second set of photographs were of Louisa lying next to Will's right side with her head against his chest while looking straight ahead, Will's head moved to look to his left and her left hand on his chest.

"Ok, it's your turn, Little Mate," Marcus said while Louisa got off the bed and walked to Alec, taking off the sunglasses he was wearing.

"What do you want me to do?" Alec asked.

"I want you to lay on top of him."

Louisa picked Alec up then carefully laid Alec on top of Will while Marcus gently moved the pillows up to raise Will's head, turned his head so Will was looking at Alec then Marcus handed her the pillow to keep Will's right arm from falling after he placed Will's right hand on Alec' back. Alec placed his arms against Will's chest then placed his chin on the back of his hands and both Will and Alec smiled at each other. Marcus took the photographs then smiled and Will glanced at him.

"All done," Marcus said and he and Louisa helped Will back into his wheelchair.

After picking out which photographs they liked, talking about when they will be printed, saying good-bye and leaving the shop, Louisa got Will and Alec back into the van, go into the van and started the engine. The van headed down the street while Louisa glanced over at Alec and he was asleep. Will was also asleep as she softly smiled, shook her head and strummed her fingers on the steering wheel.

**_A/N: The photos were based on a photo shoot Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke did for the movie. Look them up. They're amazing._**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-five

Devon sat at her desk while she read the file when she looked at the framed photo of Will, Louisa and Alec and she smiled.

"Devon, do you have a moment?" Benjamin asked after he opened the door as she looked up and she leaned back in the chair.

"Of course," she said and Benjamin walked to the desk and sat down on the chair in front of the desk. "Is there something wrong?"

"I'm not sure" he said and crossed his legs. "I saw in the papers that William Traynor and his fiancé are getting married in a few days."

"Yes, I was invited to the wedding."

"Do you know who will be taking care of Alec while they are on their honeymoon?"

"Miss Clark informed me her mother and father will be looking after him."

"I see."

"Ben, what's wrong?" she asked, sitting up.

"The article said they are going away for the wedding."

"She told me they are having a small ceremony here, but the main ceremony is going to be in Mauritius."

"Are they going to take Alec with them?"

"He is the ring bearer."

"They cannot take him out of the country."

"They understand that, but…."

"If they take him with them, and she finds out, Alicia Freshwell can charge them with kidnapping."

"She doesn't know who has him."

"Do you want to risk it?" he asked and she made her eyes in tight slits.

"Are you saying someone will tell her?"

"Watch your tone."

"I don't mean you," she said with a sigh. "Shit, how is it we're allowing this bitch to have some much control?"

"I don't know," Benjamin said, sitting back in the chair. Devon thought for a few minutes when she pursed her lips and titled her head to one side.

"Is it kidnapping if I'm going to the wedding?"

"No, I don't think so," he said with a grin then got up and headed for the door. "Have fun."

She watched him leaving as he closed the door behind him and she looked at the photo of Will, Louisa and Alec. A small sense of worry nibbled at her insides as she sighed, shook her head and went back to reading the file.

Colonel Timothy Dewar sat on the light brown leather chair in his den while a glass of brandy sat on the table next to the chair and he read the newspaper. He still couldn't believe the trouble he had getting his wife and daughter, as well as himself, out of prison and he turned the page. His eyes slightly widened when he saw the article about Will and Louisa's upcoming marriage and he was surprised Will would be marrying someone Timothy thought was below Will's station.

"It doesn't make sense," Timothy said when a soft chiming sound alerted him he had a text and he picked his cell phone off the table. He looked at the screen while placing the newspaper on his lap and blinked.

**I thought you would want to see this.**

He looked at the photograph of Alec smiling at the camera and Timothy typed on the small keyboard.

**Why is this?**

**It is a passport photo.**

**Why would he need a passport photo?**

**He is leaving the country.**

**Why is he leaving the country?**

**I am afraid I cannot give you that information.**

**Who is taking him out of the country?**

**I cannot give you that information.**

**Where is he going?**

**I cannot give you that information.**

**How long will he be out of the country?**

**I cannot give you that information.**

**Then why did you send this?**

**Just a reminder of how much you will lose if you or Alicia try anything.**

Timothy turned the phone off when he sat back in the chair and the newspaper slid to the floor with a soft thud.

_10 March_

The doors slid open while Will flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair headed inside. Alec sat on his lap as he smiled up at him and Will smiled back. Louisa and Nathan followed them as they moved by people and security and Alec looked at his passport.

"Are they going to put a stamp in it now?" Alec asked.

"No, not until we get to Mauritius," Will said.

"Yours has a lot of stamps," he said while looking through Will's passport.

"Yes, it does," Will said as they approached the check-in area and Will looked at the scanners.

"Ok, Sweetie, we need to take your shoes off," Louisa said as she knelt down next to the wheelchair and Alec nodded.

"Do we have to take Papa Bear's shoes off?" Alec asked.

"Yep," Will said with a small nod.

"But you don't go through there," Alec said, pointing to the scanner.

"No, they had to do something else," he said and Louisa removed Alec' trainers then Will's loafers. Will watched her place their things into the containers then flicked his finger and moved the wheelchair toward the scanner. He stopped the wheelchair when he saw Mike and Mike softly laughed as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Hello."

"Hello," Mike said then started searching the wheelchair then carefully searched Will. He moved back as Will flicked the joystick with his finger and Mike watched him head for Louisa. "No running!"

"Right. We don't want a repeat of last time," Will said and Mike laughed. Alec walked to the wheelchair as he carefully got onto Will's lap and gave him a confused look while Louisa helped Will put his loafers on.

"Why did he say that?" Alec asked as he looked back at Mike.

"Well, when I was here the last time with Lou and Nathan, I had Lou sit on my lap, flicked the joystick and made the wheelchair go really fast."

"And you got in trouble?"

"Yes, but they let us go," he said and Alec looked at the control panel.

"I'm going to steer so you don't get in trouble again," he said with a stubborn look on his face and Will pressed his lips together. Alec flicked the joystick as the wheelchair headed for the suitcase check-in, but neither of them saw Louisa and Nathan trying hard not to laugh.

"There you go, Mate," Nathan said after getting Will settled in the seat and Will barely nodded his head. Louisa had helped Josie get Granddad settled and Tommy and Alec were watching the people load the suitcases into the plane.

"Right, you two, sit down," Josie said.

"No," Tommy said.

"Then I guess someone doesn't want to go meet the people flying the plane," Treena said.

"We can't do that anyway. Sir said they're busy making sure the plane is ready to take us to the island," Alec said.

"You're right, but you and Tommy still need to sit down," Will said as Alec and Thomas sat down and Treena and Louisa helped them with the seatbelts.

"Is it me or does this seem very familiar?" Steven asked as he sat down next to Camilla and handed her a glass of white wine.

"It does remind me of the times we tried to get William and Georgina settled whenever we had to fly anywhere," Camilla said with a small nod and took a sip of the white wine.

"Speaking of our daughter. Did Georgina tell you if she was bringing anyone to the wedding?"

"No, but I hope it isn't that Lenny person."

"Which one is he again?"

"He is a pro-surfer."

"Oh. I thought that was Jeremy."

"He was the footballer."

"Ah, yes, now I remember," he said then took a sip of white wine and watched Louisa help Alec buckle the seatbelt. "How were they able to take Alec out of the country? Wouldn't that be illegal?"

"Yes, it is. But, according to William, it appears Miss Sharpe found a loophole."

"What sort of loophole?"

"He told me, seeing how she is their caseworker as well as being in the wedding, it was alright as long as she looks after him."

"How clever," Steven said with a smile. A few minutes later, the plane moved down the tarmac then took off as Louisa saw Will had his eyes closed while he listened to an audio book and he had a content look on his face.

_Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, Mauritius_

The plane came to a stop as Tommy and Alec undid the seatbelts and Steven led them to the cockpit door. Will watched while his father introduced them to the pilot, co-pilot and navigator and a grin spread across his face.

"What's so funny?" Louisa asked.

"Just remembering the time my father took me to meet the pilots when I was his age," Will said and she slid her arms around his shoulders. Alec ran to the wheelchair when he carefully got onto Will's lap and Will noticed something pinned to Alec' denim jacket.

"Look, Papa Bear, I got pilot wings!" Alec said.

"Me, too!" Thomas said.

"Wow!" Will said with a cat-like sound and Alec and Thomas smiled.

"Right. Let's get going," Louisa said as she walked away and Will flicked the joystick with his finger and followed her off the plane.

The door opened while Nadil led them inside the room then he placed the suitcases on the bed.

"Thank you, Nadil," Louisa said and he smiled.

"You are welcome, Miss Louisa," he said then left the room and closed the door behind him. Will steered the wheelchair to the windows when he looked outside and leaned his head back against the headrest.

"This is the same room I had last time." Will said, turning the wheelchair around to watch her unpack the suitcases.

"I know," Louisa said as the door to the connecting room opened and Nathan walked in the room.

"Hey," Nathan said with a nod.

"Is your room alright?" Louisa asked.

"Yep," he said then looked at Will. "Why are you still in your chair? You should be in bed."

"I'm not tired," Will said.

"Yeah. He took a kip on the plane," Alec said from the bed.

"I know," Nathan said. "But we missed doing the afternoon routine."

"Do we have to?!" Will asked with a small groan.

"Yes."

"Can I help?" Alec asked.

"How about you come help me unpack while Nathan takes care of Papa Bear, ok?" Louisa asked as Alec got off the bed while Nathan placed the wheelchair on manual and Will sighed.

The sounds of steel drums played in the background while Louisa fed Will some tangy fish and rice and he gave her a happy dreamy look. Nathan had taken Alec to the hotel restaurant so they could be alone and the warm air blew through their hair.

"You look amazing," Will said and swore Louisa was blushing. She was wearing a light blue sundress with a white leather belt and white leather sandals and matching light blue dot ear rings.

"You do, too," she said and helped him drink the fruit punch with just a hint of rum. He wore his cream color linen jacket, a white linen shirt, white linen trousers with a brown leather belt and brown loafers with no socks. "So, do you like your surprise?"

"I love it," he said as she got up, leaned over and kissed his lips. He wanted to take her head in his hands as he deepened the kiss then she moved back and carefully sat on his lap. She brushed the hair out of his eyes as he blinked and gave her a small grin. He flicked his finger over the joystick as the wheelchair moved side to side then in small circles and she leaned her head against his. He stopped the wheelchair a few minutes later as she looked at him and the moonlight shimmered in his blue/grey eyes. He glanced over at the sand as he sighed and she knew what he wanted to do.

"You want to make love to me on the beach, don't you?" Louisa asked.

"Yes," he said in a soft voice and she unbuttoned his shirt enough so she could place her hand against his chest. She could feel the gently rise and fall of his breathing as her fingers moved through the soft chest hair and he half closed his eyes. "That's not helping."

"Sorry," she said and moved her hand away.

"It doesn't mean I want you to stop, Clark," he said then blinked. "I can't call you that anymore."

"Yes, you can," she said and moved her fingers against the soft skin of his chest. Will thought for a few seconds when he arched his eyebrows up and pursed his lips.

"How long do we have before Alec and Nathan come back to the room and do the evening routines?"

"Not long. But I do know there is a children's story time in the lobby tonight," she said as she reached for her purse and removed her phone. "Do you want me to text Nathan and ask him to take Alec to hear the stories and I'll do the evening routines?"

"What do you think?!" he asked with a mischievous look and she laughed.

Three days passed while Louisa and Will took Alec to explore some of the island and Will told him the story about Louisa's first scuba diving experience.

"Where did Lou go?" Alec asked while snuggled next to Will and Will looked out the window.

"She went to her hen night," Will said as the corner of his mouth curled up.

"What's that?"

"It's a party the bride goes to the night before their wedding."

"Why?"

"To have fun and celebrate she's getting married in the morning."

"Don't you get a party?"

"Yeah, I'm supposed to have what is called a stag do, but I can't really have any fun. Not like this," he said and Alec noticed his papa was getting sad. Will watched Alec get off the bed when Alec walked to the door which connected their room to Nathan's room and Alec knocked on the door. Nathan quickly opened the door when he looked down and Alec crossed his arms over his chest.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked.

"Lou is having her hen night, but Papa Bear can't have his stag do. We want to go have some fun," Alec said with a slightly angry look and Nathan saw Will was trying hard not to laugh.

"We could call room service, order some food and watch a movie on my laptop," Will suggested.

"No, I want to go out!" Alec said with a slightly curt tone and Nathan covered his mouth to hide a smile.

"Alec William…."

"No, he has a point. You should have a stag do," Nathan said as he went to get the wheelchair and Will gave him a puzzled look.

The wheelchair headed down the path while Nathan walked next to it and Will moved the joystick with his finger. They headed for one of the small bar kiosks as Alec looked at the fairy lights outlining the roof of the kiosk then Will stopped the wheelchair near the barstools. Nathan lifted Alec off Will's lap then sat Alec on the barstool and sat on the barstool next to him.

"Evening, Gentlemen," the man behind the bar said and gave them a large smile.

"Evening," Will said and Nathan nodded.

"We're here for Papa Bear's stag do," Alec said and Nathan snorted a laugh.

"Is that alright?" Will asked and the man nodded.

"We'll have one beer and two fruit drinks, please," Nathan said.

"Right away," the man said then walked away. He returned a few minutes later with a glass of beer for Nathan and two glasses filled with ice and fruit punch. Nathan handed Alec one of the glasses of fruit punch as Alec helped Will take a drink and Will tasted a hint of rum after sipping the fruit juice through the straw. He smiled as Alec put the glasses down and took a drink from the other glass.

"Are you having fun?" Alec asked, but neither of them noticed Nathan was using his phone to film them.

"I'm starting to," Will said with a grin and Alec picked up the first glass, helping him take a drink.

After a few minutes, Nathan looked around for something else for them to do when he noticed a group of people near the beach and blinked.

"Wonder what's going on over there," Nathan said. Will flicked the joystick with his finger when the wheelchair turned around and he looked at what Nathan was talking about.

"Let's find out," Will said. Nathan placed Alec on Will's lap after paying for the drinks as they headed for the crowd and saw some men and women dressed in native clothing. They were dancing to steel drums and flutes and Will leaned his head back against the headrest.

"Are you ok?" Alec asked.

"Yeah," Will said with a small nod and Alec leaned back against his papa's chest. The dancers finished dancing then left when the people sat down on the ground and Will wondered what was going on. Suddenly, the sky was lit up with fireworks as Nathan leaned the back of the wheelchair back so Will could see them and Will and Alec smiled. The sky light up in bright colors while Nathan filmed Alec pointing up at the fireworks and Nathan smiled at the happy look on Will's face.

The waves moved against the sides of the dock while Will flicked the joystick and Nathan walked behind the wheelchair. Will stopped the wheelchair half way down the dock as he looked out over the water and Nathan stood next to the wheelchair. Alec was sleeping against Will as he sighed and held onto Will's white linen shirt.

"Why did you want to come here?" Nathan asked, glancing out at the water.

"This is where Lou went scuba diving," Will said.

"Yeah. I remember."

"What you didn't know was how jealous I was. I wanted to join her, but…"

"You are stuck in this bloody chair."

"Yeah."

"You also turned the holiday from being about you to being about her."

"I wanted her to experience what my life was like so she could continue living after I was gone."

"She_ is_ living."

"I know that now," Will said then went silent. Nathan waited for him to say something when Will sighed and blinked his eyes a few times. "I guess I'm just trying to get back the magic of that moment, but…"

"The moment's gone."

"Yeah."

"Then live in the magic of this moment," Nathan said and Will glanced down at Alec then looked out at the water and Nathan placed his hand on Will's right shoulder.

Louisa hushed Treena and Georgina while they walked down the hallway and laughed. She admitted she enjoyed her hen night and had her black leather sandals dangling by their straps from her fingers.

"I can't believe you hired a stripper," Treena said while looking at Georgina and Georgina gave her a smug look.

"I was _not_ going to let my soon-to-be sister-in-law's hen night go by without seeing a guy take his kit off," Georgina said, gently nudging her.

"I got to admit it. He was _amazing_!" she said then giggled.

"I thought Mum was going to pass out," Louisa said, shaking her head.

"I thought mine was going to, too," Georgina said.

"She nearly did when the stripper sat on her lap," Treena said and they broke out laughing until Louisa hushed them. They stopped at the door to Georgina's room when she removed the room key from her clutch purse and leaned against the door. She got the door open when she waved goodnight to them then went in the room. Treena looked at Louisa glancing at the door to her room as Louisa sighed and Treena placed her hand on Louisa's right shoulder. "It's just for one night."

"I know," Louisa said.

"Lou, if something had happened, you know Nathan would have text you or Will's mum."

"You're right, but it's still not fair that I had a hen night and Will couldn't have a stag do," she said when she removed her phone from her clutch purse and pushed the button. She had fought the urge to check her phone all night as she looked at the screen and Treena saw the worried look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nathan text me," she said and Treena felt her stomach falling.

"Like I said, if it was bad news, he would have text Will's mum, too. Or sent someone to get you."

Butterflies soared around her stomach while Louisa opened the text and her eyes widened while she looked at the video of Alec helping Will take a drink of fruit juice.

"_Are you sure that's his drink?" Nathan's voice asked._

"_Yeah. His smells funny," Alec said and Will lightly laughed._

"_That's because there's a little bit of rum in it," Will explained._

"_Can I have some rum?"_

"_Not until you're older," Nathan said and Alec nodded._

"What are you looking at?" Treena asked and Louisa showed her the video. "Is that one of the small bar kiosks?"

"Yeah," Louisa said as she looked at the text under the video and smiled. "It appears Alec insisted Will have a stag do."

"He did?!"

"Yeah. Nathan said they went to watch one of the dance shows on the beach next," she said when she scrolled down and saw the video of Will and Alec watching the fireworks. "Looks like there were fireworks afterwards."

"Let me see," Treena said and Louisa showed her the video.

"_Wow!" Alec whispered._

"_Yeah," Will said as their faces were lit up by the fireworks and Alec carefully wrapped his papa's arms around him._

"That is so cute," Treena said and Louisa nodded. She scrolled down as she read the rest of the text and swallowed the lump in her throat as Nathan told her about what he and Will talked about on the dock. She scrolled down when she saw the photograph of Will and Alec sleeping as she pressed her fingers against her lips and Treena looked at the photograph. "Aw….!"

"I really want to go to our room and crawl in bed with them," Louisa said as she sent Nathan a text to thank him and Treena placed her hands on her hips.

"No! I am not going to let you jinx this!" she said then pointed to the door to her room and Louisa laughed, nodded, put the phone back into her clutch purse and they went in the room.

_**A/N: Not sure if Alec going with them to the wedding is legal, but I wanted him in the wedding.**_


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-six

Alicia sat at the table while eating the unacceptable breakfast the cook had made her then she looked down at the end of the table where Rupert normally sat.

"Bastard," she whispered then sipped on cold coffee. She reached over to the newspaper when she frowned and looked at the front page. She hadn't looked at any newspapers or gossip papers since the abuse allegations started. She was tired of the articles about her and how they painted her or her parents as monsters. She had dismissed several servants after she overheard their conversations about her and how glad they were about Alec being taken away from her. Growling, Alice flipped to the society page when an article caught her attention and her eyes widened. On the front page was an article about Will and Louisa's wedding and Alicia frowned. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"Rupert," woke him as Rupert slowly opened his eyes and looked over at his mother. He tried not to laugh at her dressed in surgical scrubs, plastic surgical gloves, plastic surgical booties covering her shoes and a plastic face guard as he blinked and she smiled sweetly at him.

"Good morning," hissed from under the oxygen mask as she reached over and carded the top of his head.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm a little sleepy."

"Well, I thought you would like to see this," Alice said and removed the phone from the pocket of the surgical gown. She knew she shouldn't use the phone in the CCU, but she had received a text from Camilla and wanted Rupert to see what she had sent him. She pushed the button as Rupert watched the video of Will and Alec at Will's stag do and a small smile appeared under the oxygen mask.

_Mauritius_

The sky was clear and a bright blue as a mist of clouds slowly moved by and small white caps dotted the water. The hotel staff started preparing for the wedding as white wooden chairs with white cushions were set up, white silk ribbons were tied to the torch holders, programs were placed in holders on the back of the chairs and the arch decorated with colorful lilies and flowers was set up where Louisa and Will would be saying their vows.

Sunlight brightened the room while Louisa slept with a pillow nearly over her head and the bedding pooled down around her waist. She wanted to stay asleep, but the pain from the night before caused her head to pound and she pulled the pillow down some more to block out the light.

"Lou?" came from somewhere to her left as she moaned and tried to pretend to be asleep.

"What?" Louisa mumbled.

"I think we need to get up," Treena said from the next bed and they were both glad Josie and Bernard had taken Thomas for the night.

"Why?"

"I think you're getting married today."

"Oh. Right. I am," she said with a small grin and moved the bedding back. She slid her feet onto the floor when she got up and headed for the bathroom. She turned the bathroom light on when she saw her reflection and her eyes widened. "Crap."

"Everything alright in there?"

"Yeah," she said then headed for the toilet and tried to decide to either pee or be sick. A few minutes later, Louisa came out of the bathroom as Treena walked by her and closed the bathroom door. Louisa walked to the bed when she sat down and picked up her phone. She pushed the button when she looked at the photograph of Will and Alec smiling at her and moved her thumb over the screen. The urge to go down the hallway and wake Will up caused her to look at the door when she shook her head and looked at the screen. Smiling, she started typing on the keyboard then sent the text and went to get dressed.

A soft beeping sound woke Will as he opened his eyes and could just see Alec sitting next to him and he held Will's phone in his hands.

"Who is on the phone?" Will asked in a sleepy voice.

"It's Lou. She sent you a text," Alec said and showed him the screen. The photo on the screen was of her and Will while they were in the Paris and he could just see Eiffel Tower in the background.

"Push the button."

Alec pushed the button as the screen changed and Will looked at her text.

**Good morning. Heard you had a wild time with Alec and Nathan last night. Can't wait for you to see me in my wedding dress. Love both of you so much. – Louisa**

"What does it say?" Alec asked.

"She said she heard about the fun we had last night…"

"Did Nathan tell her?"

"Yeah, I guess he did," he said with a grin. "She also said she can't wait for us to see her in her wedding dress and she loves us."

Alec pushed the button to turn the phone off then he placed the phone on the night table and snuggled next to his papa. Will looked out the window as Alec placed his head against Will's left shoulder and patted Will's chest.

"Why didn't Lou sleep in here with us last night?" Alec finally asked.

"It has to do with a wedding tradition. It is considered bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding."

"Why?"

"I'm not really sure."

"It's silly. If you weren't supposed to see each other, you could have kept your eyes closed," he said, flipping his hand up and Will softly laughed.

"Yeah, but it would be hard for me and Lou to get dressed with our eyes closed."

"It's still silly," Alec said with a shrug and the door to the connecting room opened while Nathan walked in the room.

"Good morning," Nathan said as he stopped at the bed and Will looked at him.

"Good morning," Will said.

"Ready to get up?"

"Yeah."

"Are we having breakfast here or are we going to eat at the restaurant?" Alec asked.

"I think we're going to have breakfast here," Nathan said as he went to get the morning medications then walked back in the room.

"Making sure I don't see Lou until the wedding?" Will asked, watching Nathan placed the morning medications on the night table.

"Yep. Both your mother and her mother ordered both of you to be kept apart until it's time," Nathan said and gave Will the morning medications.

"But we always have breakfast together," Alec said.

"Not today, Little Mate," Nathan said, writing the information in Will's medical file then he got out of the medical equipment and Will sighed, looking at the ceiling.

"Well, there is one good thing. Neither of us are hungover from last night," Will said and Nathan nodded.

"What is a hungover?" Alec asked.

"He means a hangover. It's something adults get from drinking too much. They get sick and don't feel like doing anything," Nathan said.

"Like getting married?"

"Yep," Will said with a small nod.

"Then it's good you don't have one. Lou would be really mad at you."

"You're right," he said. Nathan softly laughed then started examining Will after Alec moved out of the way and Will sighed, picturing Louisa in her wedding dress.

Marcus was surprised when Will hired him to take the wedding photographs and record the video of the wedding and reception as he took a photograph of Louisa and her wedding party and smiled.

"Ok. Just one more," he said, holding up his index finger.

"I've got spots in front of my eyes," Nina said, blinking.

"Me, too," Cherie said and Louisa softly laughed.

"Are you sure they're from the flash and not from your hangover?" Louisa asked and the girls laughed.

"Like you weren't a little rough this morning," Nina teased.

"I might be a little rough, but I wasn't the one flirting with a potted plant."

"That wasn't me! It was Cherie!"

"Was not!" Cherie said then flinched as pain moved through her head.

"Alright, Ladies, that's enough," Josie said, but silently admitted she felt a little rough as well.

"I wonder if Will is feeling rough," Nina said.

"Did he have a stag do?" Cherie asked.

"If he did, he didn't invite me," Marcus said while changing lens on the camera.

"Mother wouldn't allow him to have one," Georgina said as she fixed her hair in the mirror then turned and looked at them. "She was afraid something would happen to him."

"Oh, that isn't fair," Nina said.

"Didn't stop him from having one though," Louisa said when she removed her phone from her clutch purse and found the video Nathan has sent her. They gathered around her as she pushed the button and they watched the video.

"Mother, please stop fussing," Will said as Camilla brushed the hair from his forehead, moved back, sighed and brushed the hair the other way.

"Camilla," Steven warned and she softly laughed, putting the brush down.

"I am sorry, Darling," Camilla said. Will barely nodded his head when he looked in the mirror and looked at his reflection. He locked eyes with himself as his mind focused not on the broken man sitting in a wheelchair as much as the man looking back at him. Flashes of his of life moved through his mind as he recounted certain events and wondered if Louisa could have fit into them. He pictured the first time they met. He pictured her going places with him and doing some of the things he loved to do. He saw their wedding. He saw her sitting under the blankets of a hospital bed with an infant Alec in her arms. He saw her smiling at him when she caught him pacing the floor with Alec or falling asleep on the couch with Alec on top of him. He saw the anger in her eyes when they had rows then nibble on her fingernail afterwards. He watched her hug him when he told her about a deal going through or comfort him when things went wrong. He pictured her being by his bedside when he woke up after the accident, like when he woke up after coming down with pneumonia, and giving him a sad smile. He pictured her smiling at him the first time he sat in the wheelchair and meeting Nathan. He saw the smile on her face when they arrived at the annex. He pictured the look in her eyes after he had tried to kill himself then giving him a hug and telling him everything was alright. Finally, he saw their holiday and her helping him decide not to go to Switzerland.

"Are you alright, Son?" Steven asked, placing his hand on Will's right shoulder.

"Yes," Will said, glancing at him. "I'm fine."

Steven lightly patted Will's shoulder when someone knocked on the door and Nathan walked to the door. He opened the door as Nadil smiled at him and held two white boxes in his hands.

"Hello," Nadil said with a nod then walked by him and headed for Will.

"What is that?" Will asked.

"This is for you," Nadil said while he placed the boxes on Will's lap then stood back. Will could see flowers under the plastic covered opening in the top of the top box and frowned. "You are to present what is in the first box to the women in the wedding party. The second box is for Miss Louisa."

"Okay," Will said with a small nod and tried to figure out how to steer the wheelchair with the boxes on his lap.

"Can I help?" Alec asked.

"Yes, you can," Will said while Nathan walked to the wheelchair and placed the wheelchair on manual. Nadil opened the door as Nathan pushed the wheelchair out of the room and down the hallway. They stopped at the door to the bride's room when Alec knocked on the door and Treena opened the door enough to look out into the hallway.

"Yes?" Treena asked, looking down at Alec.

"I need to go in there," Will said.

"No, you do not!"

"He has something to give you," Alec said.

"Leave it near the door and I'll get it later."

"What's going on?" Georgina asked as she appeared behind her and looked at Will, Nathan and Alec. "What are you doing here?"

"I have a delivery," Will said and she looked at the white boxes on his lap.

"Sorry, but you can't come in."

"I have a feeling I have to."

"Can he go inside if he closes his eyes?" Alec asked.

"Hold on," Treena said, closing the door.

"Was that Will?" Louisa asked, looking at the door.

"Yeah. He needs to see us."

"Why?!"

Butterflies swarmed in her stomach as fear of something being wrong filled her mind and she headed for the door.

"Will, are you alright?" Louisa asked as she placed her right hand on the door.

"I'm fine, Clark. I just need to present you and your bridal party with some gifts," Will said from the other side of the door and she turned to look at the others.

"What sort of gifts?"

"It looks like wrist corsages and, I think, your bouquet."

Louisa smiled as she shook her head and Treena walked to her.

"Move away from the door," Treena said.

"Why does she want us to move away from the door?" Alec asked.

"I have a feeling they're coming out here," Will said and Nathan moved the wheelchair back then tapped his knuckles on the door. The door opened as Marcus, Treena, Georgina, Nina, Cherie, Devon and Josie walked out into the hallway and Josie quickly closed the door. Georgina, Nina, Cherie and Devon were wearing white linen sundresses with gold color leather belts and white leather sandals were on their feet. Their hair was down and braided with flowers and crystal ear rings were connected to their earlobes. Josie was dressed in a peach color linen sundress with a white leather belt and peach color leather sandals and her hair was done up in a bun. "Wow."

The women smiled as they walked to the wheelchair and Camilla walked to the wheelchair. Like Josie, she was wearing a peach linen sundress with a white leather belt, but she wore white leather sandals instead of the peach color ones. Nathan had gone to get her as he opened the lid of the first box and they looked at the wrist corsages. Two white lilies surrounded a tiger lily and the flowers sat on top of a thick, white silk wrist band.

"Oh my!" Josie gasped.

"Wild!" Nina said and Cherie nodded.

"Are we supposed to put these on or are you supposed to?" Georgina asked.

"I think I'm supposed to," Will said.

"How?" Cherie asked.

"I don't know."

"I have an idea," Nathan said as he removed the boxes then placed the boxes on the table behind him and removed the first corsage. Turning the lilies upside down, he placed the lilies in Will's left hand and Will glanced at him. "Right. Who wants to go first?"

"Me," Treena said. She walked closer when she placed her right wrist down on the thick, white silk wristband and Nathan carefully reached over and lifted up Will's right hand. He helped Will secure the thick, white silk wristband to her wrist as Will smiled at Treena and she smiled back. One by one, the women received their wrist corsages when Will looked at Devon and she absentmindedly played with the wide cuff bracelet on her right wrist. He remembered her playing with the wide cuff bracelet before as he sighed and Devon walked closer. She saw the look in his eyes as she leaned closer and her ear was near his lips.

"You don't have to," he whispered and she lightly shook her head.

"It's ok," she whispered then stood up and removed the wide cuff bracelet. Three faded scars spread over the veins of her wrist as they looked at the scars and Devon felt her stomach fall. She placed her wrist down onto the thick, white silk wrist band and Will smiled at her. Nathan helped him secure the wrist corsage as Devon smiled at Will and Will gave her a wink.

"Alright. Gather around Will, please," Marcus said as the women gathered around the wheelchair Camilla stood to his left while Josie stood to his right and Treena, Georgina, Nina, Cherie and Devon carefully knelt down in front of the wheelchair. Marcus took some photographs then smiled and Treena, Georgina, Nina, Cherie and Devon stood up.

"Is it alright for Papa Bear to give Lou her flowers now?" Alec asked.

"No, I'll do that," Josie said.

"Ah, no, I have to," Will said while Nathan placed the box on his lap. Will had his eyes closed while he tried to imagine what Louisa looked like in her wedding dress as Josie opened the door and Louisa watched him enter the room. Will was wearing a white linen shirt open up enough to show his dark brown chest hair, a white linen jacket and white linen trousers and the brown leather sandals on his feet. Alec wore the same outfit, as did Nathan, but Will had a necklace made of small shells around his neck.

"Whoa," Louisa whispered as Nathan steered the wheelchair closer then stopped the wheelchair in front of her.

"You look really nice, Lou," Alec said and she smiled down at him.

"Too bad I can't open my eyes and see what she looks like," Will teased and she softly laughed.

"You'll see me soon enough," she said then looked down at the box on his lap. She opened the lid of the box when she looked down at the bouquet of white lilies, pink and white lilies and tiger lilies and held her fingers up to her lips. She carefully lifted the bouquet out of the box when she looked at Will and leaned over to kiss his lips. He sighed through his nose then she moved back and wiped the lipstick off his lips.

"Can I open my eyes now?!" he asked.

"Not until you turn around," she said and Nathan turned the wheelchair around. "Ok, open them."

Will opened his eyes as he looked at the women standing in the hallway and swore Josie and Camilla were crying. His finger twitched over the joystick as he fought the urge to turn the wheelchair around and sighed. He flicked the joystick with his finger when he left the room and the women went back in the room, closing the door behind them.

The light breeze moved the colorful lilies and flowers on the arch while the music played and Will sat next to the priest. Nathan was in the best man position as Nina and Cherie's boyfriends stood next to him and next to them was Treena's boyfriend, Ron, and Georgina's new boyfriend, Trevor.

"You ready?" Nathan asked and Will glanced at him.

"Yes," Will said when the music started and Nathan turned the wheelchair around so Will could watch the bridal party head down the aisle. Two, barefoot little girls wearing white sundresses scattered flower petals while Alec and Thomas walked between them and Alec smiled at his papa. Alec and Thomas had the wedding rings on the silk pillows and Will watched them walk to the small chairs in the front row and sat down.

"Great job," Will mouthed to the kids and they smiled. He watched Cherie heading down the aisle as she smiled at him and he barely nodded his head. Nine was next followed by Devon and he gave Devon a wink. Georgina gave him a grin when she walked closer as he crossed his eyes and she lightly giggled. Treena nodded as she walked closer and he smiled.

The music started as Will watched Bernard led Louisa down the aisle and Will's eyes slightly widened. Louisa's hair was down and was encircled with a crown of small white flowers and white silk ribbons framed her face. The top of her wedding gown was a white silk with lace sleeves and was low enough to show the top of her breasts. The skirt of the wedding gown was white linen and had a small train. She was barefoot, but what made Will smile was she was wearing her bumblebee stockings. She gave him a small shrug as he softly laughed and Bernard gently kissed her cheek before going to sit next to Josie. Louisa carefully knelt down when she removed Will's sandals then sat on the chair and Nathan turned the wheelchair around so Will faced her.

"You look amazing," Will whispered and she felt the burn of the blush moving over her cheeks. He listened to the service and the love he saw in her eyes caused a lump to build in his throat.

"_And to think you wanted to toss all of this way,"_ a voice in his head scolded when he saw the worry on her face and he gave her a goofy look which nearly caused her to laugh. The priest asked for the rings when Thomas and Alec stood up and walked to the wheelchair. They held up the pillows while the priest blessed the rings and Louisa lifted Will's left hand off the armrest of the wheelchair. He watched her slid the ring onto his left ring finger while tears formed at the corners of his eyes and she used the pad of her thumb to wipe the tears away. Alec handed the pillow to Thomas then carefully got onto Will's lap and helped Will placed the ring on Louisa's left ring finger. She felt like she wasn't just joining her life to Will's, but to Alec' as well and she lightly cared the back of Alec' head. Alec carefully got off of Will's lap then went to sit down and Louisa brushed some of the hair out of Will's eyes.

"You may now kiss your bride," the priest said and Louisa stood up, gently sat on Will's lap and kissed Will's lips. He made a deep sigh as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of her lips against his. She moved back as he opened his eyes when she placed her forehead against his, but neither of them heard the cheering or saw Alec and Thomas standing on the chairs, clapping their hands.

_**A/N: Not sure if this posted. Can someone please review and tell me if they were able to read this.**_


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N: A little bit of naughty stuff in this chapter. LOL!**_

Chapter Twenty-seven

Will had gone back to their room for a short rest as he listened to the soft sound of the ocean coming from the open windows and he replayed the service in his head. Closing his eyes, he silently made a prayer of thanks. He had been praying since his accident, but those prayers were for the end of his pain and suffering. Now, he had been giving thanks for the strength to change his mind and for having Louisa and Alec in his life. The sound of the door opening caused him to open his eyes when he looked to the right and saw Nathan heading for the bed.

"Hey," Nathan said as he walked to the bed and opened the drawer, taking out the medical equipment.

"Sorry about cutting the photo secession short," Will said.

"No, it's fine," Nathan said as he examined Will and wrote the information in his medical file.

"Where's Lou and Alec?"

"Alec and Tommy are taking a short kip in Treena's room and Lou went to change into her reception outfit," Nathan said and Will looked out the window. He could just see storm clouds on the horizon when he frowned and blinked his eyes a few times.

"Looks like we might have some rain."

"Good thing the reception is inside then," Nathan said with a smile then went to get the wheelchair.

Louisa watched while Will steered the wheelchair toward her then he stopped the wheelchair in front of her and she smiled. She had changed into a soft peach sundress and white leather sandals and her hair was tied back with a white ribbon. She carefully sat on his lap when they heard the song they danced to at Alicia and Rupert's wedding and she gave him a puzzled look.

"Uh….," Louisa said.

"I told Mother this was the song we danced to at Alicia and Rupert's wedding," he said and she placed her hand on his shoulder. He flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair moved and they locked eyes. They didn't notice people watching them or Marcus videoing their dance and Will gave her the same look he did that day.

"Remember what I told you that day?" Will asked.

"You told me a lot of things," she said and he smiled.

"I told you that you were the only reason I wanted to get out of bed in the morning and the only thing that made me happy."

"Do I still make you feel that way?"

"Yes," he said and she kissed his lips. The song ended as she carefully got up and Will noticed she was walking behind the wheelchair. She slid her arms around his shoulders and across his chest when she pointed to Marcus and Will smiled as Marcus took their photograph.

"Hey!" Louisa said as she and Will headed for Frank, his wife, Maggie, Kev and Angelo, the plumbers, and the Dandelion Lady.

"Hello, Love." Frank said as she gave him a hug and Will smiled.

"Thank you for inviting us," Maggie said.

"Yeah, this place is amazing!" Kev said and Angelo nodded.

"Glad you like it," Will said.

"Lou, Dear," the Dandelion Lady said and Louisa walked closer. "You really didn't need to invite me."

"Of course, I did," Louisa said as they hugged and she lightly patted the Dandelion Lady's back.

"Where are you going on your honeymoon?" Angelo asked.

"We're going to stay here for a few days," Louisa said with a smile and carded the back of Will's hair.

"Cool," Kev said.

"You look amazing, Dear," the Dandelion Lady said and Louisa felt a blush move across her cheeks.

"Thank you," Louisa said.

"And you look very handsome," she said, looking at Will.

"Thank you," Will said with a small nod when the music changed and he smiled at her. "Care to dance?"

"Oh! I haven't danced in ages!"

"Shall we?!" he said as he flicked the joystick with his finger and she followed him to the dance floor. Louisa watched while Will told the Dandelion Lady to sit on his lap then he moved the wheelchair and Louisa smiled, blinking the tears from her eyes.

"I knew it!" Mary Rawlinson said as she walked closer and Louisa tried to not laugh. Mary was wearing a dark blue sundress with white and yellow flowers printed on it, a large white straw hat, white plastic sunglasses, and white leather sandals. "I knew you two would end up together!"

"Hello, Mary," Will said as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. She wiped the lipstick away then hugged Louisa and Louisa could smell the brandy on her breath.

"So, tell me," she said as she looked at Louisa. "Did you look into those correspondence courses?"

"No, I went to university," Louisa said and Mary smiled.

"What are you studying?!"

"I'm studying fashion design as well as interior design."

"Oh, that does sound amazing," she said then looked at Will. "And you? What have you been up to?"

"I've gone back to work," Will said and her eyes widened.

"Really?!"

"It's just a few clients."

"Well, don't overdo it, Dear," she said when she saw Camilla and lightly patted Will's shoulder. "Ah, there is your mother!"

They watched her walk away as Will glanced up at Louisa then they both softly laughed.

"Well, hello there," Martin said as he, Freddie Derwent and Cally walked closer then stopped in front of them.

"Hello, Martin," Will said.

"Good to see you again," Louisa said.

"You look amazing," Freddie said with a small grin.

"Thank you."

"The ceremony was so beautiful," Cally said.

"Yes, it was," Martin said with a nod and Will noticed the look in his eyes. He had seen the look before as he arched his eyebrows up and blinked.

"Is everything alright?" Will asked.

"What? Oh, yes, nothing worth worrying about," Martin said, but Will didn't believe him.

"Did you hear about Rupert?" Freddie asked.

"Yes, I have," Will said with a small nod.

"Too bad he couldn't make it."

"He wanted to."

"Have you been to see him?"

"No, we were planning on going to see him when he feels up to visitors."

"Yes, that's what I was going to do," Freddie said as the song changed and he looked at Louisa. "May I have a dance with the bride?"

"Of course," Louisa said as she took his hand and they headed for the dance floor.

"Sir… Uh, Will, may I ask you something?" Cally asked.

"Sure," Will said with a smile.

"I know you work at home now, but would you mind if I came to work for you?"

"I thought you were working for my replacement."

"Yes… Well….," Martin said and Will frowned.

"Alright, will one of you mind telling me what's going on?"

"It turns out your replacement is causing trouble at the agency."

"What sort of trouble?"

"He's been scamming several clients and I am trying to keep the investigators some of the clients have hired from finding out who actually works with him and keeping it out of the press."

"So, you want them to believe Cally still works for me?"

"Yes," he said with a nod.

"Please, Will, I don't want to go to prison," Cally said and he saw the tears in her eyes.

"No one is going to prison," Will said then turned the wheelchair to look at Martin. "Fine. Tell them Cally is still my assistant."

Cally moved closer as she carefully slid her arms around his shoulders and he placed his head against hers.

"Keep me informed about the investigation."

"I will," Martin said as he and Cally walked away and Louisa walked to the wheelchair. She noticed how Will looked at them when she carded the back of his head and he glanced at her.

"What was that all about?" Louisa asked. Will knew he shouldn't lie to her as he frowned and she went to sit on his lap. Sighing, he told her what happened as she looked at Cally and leaned her head against his. "Do you think it will work?"

"Seeing how this isn't the first time someone was scamming at the agency, I'm sure everything will be fine." Will said and she placed her hand on his left shoulder.

"Hello," Sam said while Louisa stood near the table with the wedding cake and the children cakes on it and she tilted her head to one side.

"Hello," Louisa said.

"Sorry. I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Will's cousin, Samuel Walsh."

"Oh. I am so sorry. I have met a lot of his family today…"

"That's fine. When I got married, I forgot half the names of my wife's family," he said and she noticed he had deep dimples like Will. She then realized something as her mouth slightly opened and her eyes widened.

"Are you the Doctor Samuel Walsh who did the paternity test?!"

"Yep," he said with a nod. He was stunned when she suddenly hugged him then she moved back and saw he was blushing.

"Sorry. When we found out Alec was Will's son, I told Will I was going to give whoever did the paternity test a big hug," she said and he laughed.

"You should have seen my reaction when I found out."

"When you found out what?" Will asked and Sam turned around to look at him.

"When I found out you were Alec' father."

"Speaking of Alec, where is he?" Louisa asked.

"He's over there with my son and that other little boy," Sam said as he pointed and Louisa looked to where he was pointing.

"Since when did you have a kid?" Will asked with a puzzled look.

"It was a little over two years ago," he said with a smug look.

"I really am out of the loop," Will said with a small sigh as the boys ran to them and Alec carefully got onto Will's lap. Sam picked up his son as he held his son in his arms and Will noticed how much they looked alike.

"_Just like me and Alec,"_ he thought.

"Daddy! Cake!" Sam's son said, pointing to the cake.

"You have to say please," Alec corrected, gently wrapping Will's arms around him.

"P'ease."

"We'll be having cake in about ten minutes," Louisa said as she looked at the staff members placing the plates on the tables.

"I want cake _now_!" Thomas said with a pout.

"Lady says bad manners get you nowhere," Alec said as Will coughed out a laugh and Sam pressed his lips together.

"Yes, she does," Sam said as he nodded and Louisa cupped her mouth with her hand.

"Do you know which cake you want, Buddy?" Will asked and Alec looked at the children cakes. The cakes were decorated in chocolate or white icing with oceanic theme toppers and there were also some cupcakes or biscuits.

"I like the one with the white icing and the blue plastic fish on top," Alec said, pointing to the cake near the wedding cake.

"Mine!" Sam's son said.

"There's one with green plastic fish. You can have that one."

"No!"

"Hold on. Don't be rude," Sam said.

"No, he can have it," Alec said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"T'ank you," Sam's son said.

"You're welcome."

"Daddy? Sissy?" he asked and pointed at the cakes.

"Who?" Will asked.

"My wife and I had a baby girl a year ago," Sam said then looked at his son. "Which one?"

"That one!" his son said as he pointed to the cake with pink icing and little waves on the top.

"Which cake do you want, Tommo?" Louisa asked.

"That one," Thomas said, pointing to the cake with chocolate icing and white plastic waves.

"How about we go tell the servers which cake you guys want so they don't give them to someone else," Sam said as he held his hand out and Thomas took his hand. Alec carefully got off of Will's lap as he followed Sam and Louisa saw the look in Will's eyes. She wondered what he was thinking as she sat on his lap and leaned her head against his head.

"Talk to me." she said and he glanced at her.

"I wanted the cake with the chocolate icing," he said with a little pout and she laughed.

"Those cakes are just for the kids."

"I am a kid at heart."

"I'll see if they can make you a sugar free one and we'll take it home," she said then gently took Will's face in her hands as she lightly kissed his lips and felt him smiling against her lips.

Louisa knew Will was getting tired as she pushed the wheelchair and Alec walked next to her. She needed to find Nathan to tell him they were going back to their room when she saw Nathan and Devon and stopped the wheelchair.

"What are they doing?" Alec asked in a soft voice and Will smiled. Nathan was holding Devon close while they kissed and she moved her fingers through his hair. She admitted she was surprised with how quickly she fell for him, but Nathan turned out to be nothing like the other men she dated.

He was nice.

He was funny.

He was very understanding when she told him the truth about her life.

Most of all, he liked her.

They had gone out a few times since the day she had found out about Will's wrist, but it's only been a week since they had gotten serious.

"Child present," Will said suddenly as Devon moved back and Nathan started blushing.

"Uh…. Did you need me for something?" Nathan asked.

"No. Will is getting tired and we're going back to our room," Louisa said.

"Why were you kissing Miss Devon?" Alec suddenly asked.

"He was kissing me because he likes me," Devon said.

"Then Papa Bear really likes Lou. They kiss all the time," he said, tossing his hands up. Will's eyes widened as Louisa felt a blush move across her cheeks and both Nathan and Devon tried hard not to laugh.

"Right," Louisa said as she turned the wheelchair around and looked back at Nathan and Devon. "See you later."

"Ok," Nathan said with a nod as they left and Devon leaned her face against his shoulder.

"I can't believe it," she said as he placed his arms around her and kissed the side of her head.

"They were going to find out sooner or later," Nathan said as she shook her head then looked at him.

"Not that. I mean what Alec said. Where do kids come up with things like that?!"

"I don't know," he said then laughed.

"Are you going to go help her put Will to bed?"

"Nah. She can handle it. But I will go check on him in a bit."

"No, you are going to do your job," she said with a cold tone and lightly poked his chest.

"Yes, Milady," he said with a bow, turned and walked away as she smiled then went to get something to drink.

Will looked out the window while his ghostly reflection looked back at him and he blinked. Louisa and Nathan had examined him and given him the night medication as well as the medication to help him be intimate with her. Louisa was in the bathroom as he glanced over at the door and arched his eyebrows up.

"Are you coming out at some point, Cl…Louisa?" he asked.

"I told you that you can still call me "Clark"," she reminded him from behind the door and he laughed. "And I will be out in a second."

Will leaned his head back against the pillows when the bathroom door opened and he looked at her. Her hair floated around her shoulders as she brushed back some of the hair from her face and he liked the fact she was only wearing one of his dress shirts. She walked to the bed then moved the bedding back and saw he was just wearing his underpants and a t-shirt. She crawled onto the mattress when she started kissing his lips and he half closed his eyes. She carefully picked up his right hand as she moved his fingers against her hair and he could just feel how soft it was.

"Louisa….," he whispered against her lips as she moved his fingers down to her collarbone and he sighed. She helped him explore her body when she placed his hand down then slid him forward and removed the t-shirt. She placed him against the pillows as she looked at him and moved her fingers along his chest. His skin was soft and warm as her fingers moved through the soft hairs on his chest and she leaned over to kiss his collarbones.

"I love you," she whispered and he made a little moan. She quickly sat up as he smiled and barely shook his head.

"Just enjoying myself," he said and she brushed the hair out of his eyes. She sat back on his stomach when she started unbuttoning the shirt and he swallowed the lump in his throat. She had the second button undone when a loud crash of thunder roared over their heads and he rolled his eyes. "Why is it, when we're here and we're kissing, it always storms?"

"Maybe the island gods are jealous by how much we love each other," she teased as the sound of someone knocking on the door made her get up, covering him with the bedding and she walked to the door. She opened the door enough to see Thomas and Alec looking up at her and she looked back at Will. "Mind some visitors?"

"Sure," Will said as she opened the door and the boys ran for the bed. They carefully got on the bed when Alec snuggled next to Will and the thunder rumbled. "Turn the lights off."

She turned the lights off as Will looked out the window and saw the lightning flash over the water.

"Whoa," Alec whispered.

"Wow," Thomas whispered as Will smiled and Louisa saw Treena in the hallway.

"Sorry about that," Treena said.

"It's ok," Louisa said while Treena's eyes scanned her body then Treena arched her eyebrows up. "Well, not ok, but…"

"Yeah," Treena said as she walked by her and they walked to the bed after Louisa closed the door. They carefully got onto the bed as Thomas snuggled next to his mommy and they watched the lightning move over the water. The thunder rumbled around them when the loud sound of the rain on the roof filled the room and Will glanced at Louisa.

"Did you know Louisa and I watched a thunderstorm like this the first time we came here?" Will asked.

"I do," Alec said.

"Well, the window was open…"

"But you can't have the windows open when it's raining, Papa Bear. The air would be too cold."

"You're right," Will said as he watched the storm then looked at the ceiling. "I ask her to stay and watch the storm with me and that's when… That's when she kissed me for the first time."

"Ew….," the boys said at the same time. Will smiled as they went back to watching the storm and Louisa carded the top of his head. As the storm died down, Louisa and Treena took the boys back to Treena' room while Will looked out at the rain and blinked.

"_Should I tell her the truth?"_ he thought as he sighed then heard the door closing. He glanced to the right as Louisa walked to the bed and crawled under the bedding. She carefully crawled on top of him when she sat on his stomach and placed her hands on his chest.

"I need to tell you something," Will said.

"Go ahead," she said with a small nod.

"I had another reason for you to keep the window open."

"I think I know what that reason was. You wanted to get sick."

"Uh…. Yeah, I did."

"What did you hope would happen? That you would come down with an AD attack or pneumonia?"

"Yeah."

Louisa became silent while she looked at the wall and Will waited for her to start yelling at him.

"I'm sorry," Will said in a soft voice.

"You're sorry?"

"Yes."

"You do know I would have blamed myself, right?"

"Yes, I do."

"We might have not been able to get you to a hospital."

"I know, but…"

"But, at the time, you didn't care if you lived or died."

He barely nodded his head as she felt his chest rising and falling and moved her fingers through his chest hair. The storm raged around them when he arched his eyebrows up and she saw the worry in his eyes.

"I forgive you."

"You do?"

"Yes. It was a foolish thing to do, but, if you hadn't have done it, I wouldn't have the excuse to do this," she said and moved off of him so she could kiss him. She held his face in her hands as he enjoyed her nibbling on his lower lip and half closed his eyes. She moved back as he opened his eyes and she kissed the tip of his nose.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?" he asked while the dimples dented his cheeks then his face became serious. Smiling, she sat up while he could just see her unbutton the shirt then the shirt slowly dropped to the floor.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-eight

Rupert looked at the television while he tried to concentrate on the movie, but he kept glancing at the window which looked out into the hallway. He could just see the guard standing next to the door to his room and he frowned. Even though the divorce came through without any problems, his father thought he still needed protection until the trial was over. Rupert rolled his eyes as his right hand absentmindedly touched his chest and he barely rubbed the spot over his new heart.

He had only met his cousin, Rory, once when they were kids.

Rory reminded him of Will.

Both of them loved life and did whatever they wanted, but neither of them took unnecessary risks.

Now his cousin's heart was beating in his chest.

Sighing, Rupert shook his head as he smiled then he saw the guard talking to someone. The door opened while the guard walked in the room to hold the door open and Rupert watched Louisa, Alec and Will enter the room. Louisa was holding into the strings of small bunch of balloons as she smiled at him and Rupert smiled back.

"Are those for me?" Rupert asked.

"Yep!" Alec said with a big grin.

"Ah," he said with a nod and the guard helped Louisa tie the strings of the balloons to the chair near the door and Rupert hoped the chair wouldn't lift off the floor. Will parked the wheelchair near the bed when he looked at Rupert and smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Louisa asked while she walked to the bed and gently hugged Rupert.

"I'm feeling a lot better," Rupert said, hugging her. "Is it alright to kiss the bride?"

"Sure," she said and he kissed her cheek.

"Do you know when you can go home?" Will asked, grinning.

"My doctor said I can go home next week," Rupert said.

"That's great!" Louisa said when Rupert noticed how quiet and shy Alec looked as Alec sat on Will's lap and Rupert tilted his head to one side.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you still you?" Alec asked and Rupert gave Will a puzzled look.

"Am I still me?"

"Yeah. I know you got a new heart, but Papa Bear said it belonged to someone else."

"Oh," he said as he arched his eyebrows up then nodded. "Yes, I'm still me."

He held out his arms as Louisa helped Alec to sit on the bed and Alec gave Rupert a hug. Rupert kissed the side of Alec' head as Alec smiled then moved back and looked at Rupert's chest.

"Can you feel it?" Alec asked.

"No, not really," he said then looked down at his chest. "Which is a good thing. If I felt something bad then I would be in big trouble."

"Like before?"

"Yes, like before," he said with a nod then looked at Will. "Sorry I missed out on the wedding, Mate."

"We went to an island."

"I know."

"The wedding was on the beach, Tommy and I carried the rings, Lou had to sit down to do the vows because Papa Bear can't stand up and they released these pretty birds at the end."

"Wow!"

"We got to take some photos with the birds and there were these spicy shrimp things for dinner, but Papa Bear couldn't have any."

"Why not, Papa Bear?" he asked as he used Alec' nickname for Will and Will rolled his eyes.

"It would have given me gas," Will said and Rupert softly laughed.

"I wanted to save you a piece of wedding cake, but Lou said it would get all mushy by the time we got home." Alec said and Rupert nodded.

"We did bring you this," Louisa said as she walked to the back of the wheelchair when she removed the white box and handed the white box to Rupert. He opened the white box when he looked at the wedding album and he removed the wedding album out of the box. Louisa placed the box on the chair next to the bed while he opened the cover and looked at the first photo.

"You look amazing, Louisa."

"Thanks."

"What about me?" Will asked with a hurt look.

"You look like a bloody monkey," Rupert teased then realized he had sworn in front of Alec. "Sorry."

"It's ok. I heard that word before," Alec said.

"Where did you hear it?" Will asked as he gave Alec a puzzled look.

"Nathan said it when he bumped his foot into the couch. He said a couple of other bad words, too."

"Well, you are not to say any of them," Louisa said and he nodded.

Rupert looked at some of the other photos when he saw Will, Martin and Will's replacement in one of the photos and Rupert frowned.

"Isn't that the guy who replaced you?" Rupert asked as he lifted the album up to show Will the photo.

"Yeah, it is," Will said and Rupert lowered the album.

"Freddie Derwent was here yesterday and he told me he's in big trouble."

"Martin told me he was scamming clients," Will said with a sigh. "He's afraid Cally will get into trouble because she works for him."

"What is he going to do?"

"He's telling the investigators the clients hired she still works for me."

"That's lying," Alec said.

"I know, Buddy, but sometimes adults have to lie," Will said and Rupert nodded.

"Like not telling the Bad Lady I live with you and Lou?" Alec asked.

"Yes, just like not telling her where you are."

"And the reason we have to lie…," Rupert said, taking hold of Alec' hands. "The reason why we can't tell her where you are is…"

"It's so the Bad Man won't get me," Alec said with a nod. The door opened when the guard led the nurse in the room and she stopped at the foot of the bed.

"I'm sorry to cut this visit short, but I need to examine Mister Freshwell then he has to go have some tests done," the nurse said.

"Want to come over to our house and watch cartoons when you get better?" Alec asked.

"I would love that," Rupert said while Louisa placed the album on the small table near the bed and Alec carefully hugged him. The guard held the door open while Will, Louisa and Alec left the room and headed down the hallway. Louisa knew Will was still worried about Cally and what was happening at the agency as she carded the back of his head and he smiled up at her.

The sunlight brightened the room as Will sighed and slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the ceiling until his vision cleared and he listened to the silence. Before Louisa and Alec came into his life, he hated the sound, but, now, he found a sense of peace. He could just hear the sound of someone walking closer as he tried to figure out who it was and smiled when Louisa appeared in the doorway.

"Morning," Will said with a sleepy tone while she walked to the bed, carefully sat down and scooted closer.

"Good morning," Louisa said then gently kissed his lips.

"Where's Alec?"

"He's having breakfast with Nathan."

"Oh."

"Talk to me," she said, brushing some hair from his eyes.

"I'm fine, Clark."

"No, you're not fine. Is it because of what's going on at the agency?"

"Maybe."

"Is it because of Alec and Rupert? I did notice how they were looking at each other."

"Maybe," he said as he sighed and licked his lips. "I don't blame Alec for how he is when he's with Rupert. He was the only father he knew for nearly four years. Their bond…"

"Look over there," she said and he looked at the photo Marcus took of Alec lying on top of Will and how sweetly they smiled at each other. Will studied the photo when he noticed the smiles weren't fake. The love… The bond between them… He saw it. He felt it even though he couldn't feel how hard his heart was beating.

"_You are being a bloody idiot, Mate,"_ he thought while Louisa watched the smile move across his lips as Will glanced at her and he half closed his eyes.

"Sorry," he said in a soft whispered when he heard quick little footsteps and Alec appeared in the doorway.

"Is he awake?" Alec said, walking to the bed and looked at him.

"Yeah, I'm awake."

"Why are you still in bed? Are you sick?"

"No, I just woke up in a sad mood," Will said. Alec carefully climbed up onto the bed then sat on Will's stomach and tilted his head to one side.

"What made you sad?"

"Where do you want me to start?"

Alec knew Will was teasing as Alec crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out and Will coughed out a laugh.

"Are you ready to get up now?" Louisa asked and Will nodded. Louisa lifted Alec off him after getting the medical equipment and his medical file out of the drawer and Alec watched her examine Will. After writing down the information and giving Will the morning medications, she helped Will get dressed, brushed his teeth and hair then they left the room.

"Morning," Nathan said as he sipped on the coffee and Will gave him a small nod before parking the wheelchair near the table. Nathan had been around Will long enough to know his moods and he placed the coffee mug down. "You ok?"

"Papa Bear woke up sad this morning," Alec said, watching Louisa walk to the stove to get Will's breakfast.

"Does it mean it's going to be one of _those_ days?" Nathan asked, looking at Will.

"No," Will said with a small shake of his head when the intercom buzzed and they looked at the intercom. Nathan got up when he walked to the intercom and pushed the button.

"Yes?" Nathan asked.

"Hi. It's Cally," Cally's voice said. "Is Mister Traynor awake?"

"Yes, he is. Hold on," he said then left the room. A few minutes later Cally followed Nathan in the room as she looked at them and Will smiled at her.

"Good morning," Will said.

"Good morning," she said as she walked to the wheelchair and he gave her a small nod. She carefully hugged him as he smiled then he noticed the newspaper she had placed on the table and Cally moved back. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"I was just about to feed him his breakfast," Louisa said, placing the plate of scrambled egg whites, some lightly toasted bread with some apple preserves on it and sliced bananas in front of him.

"Mind if I do it?" Cally asked and Louisa looked at Will.

"Sure," she said and handed Cally the fork. Cally sat down next to the wheelchair as Will turned the wheelchair to face her and she scooped some of the scrambled egg whites onto the fork. Will opened his mouth as she fed him and Alec handed her the napkin.

"Right," Louisa said after looking at the clock then looked at Alec. "Time to go."

"Ok," Alec said when he crawled onto Will's lap and gave him a small hug. Will leaned his head against Alec' head then Alec got off of Will's lap and walked to Louisa. Louisa leaned over to kiss Will's lips as he smiled and watched them leave the room. He then glanced over at Cally as she gave him a tiny smile and fed him some toast.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Will asked and she placed the fork down.

"May I speak freely?" she asked and he gave her a small nod. "For the longest time, I was hoping you would find someone, settle down and have a family. But, at the time, you were so focused on your career and didn't have time. Not that I wished something bad would happen to you…"

Will arched his eyebrows up then he laughed and she blushed.

"Alright, something bad _did_ happen."

"It's fine," Will said and she placed a forkful of scrambled egg whites in his mouth.

"Oh," she said as she helped him take a drink of the protein shake and wiped his lips. "There's something I wanted to show you."

She placed the napkin on the table when she picked up the newspaper and showed him the headline. The story was about the arrest of the man who took over his job and he glanced over at Cally.

"Wow," he said in a cat-like tone and she placed the newspaper down. "Have you talked to the police?"

"Yes," she said with a nod and fed him some banana slices. "I was a little nervous, but they did believe me when I said I only worked for you."

"That's good."

"Are you finished?" she asked and he barely nodded his head. "Then I guess we better get to work."

"Or we could go watch a film."

"We can do that?!"

"Sure," he said with a wink and backed the wheelchair up. Nathan had been writing the information on how much Will ate and drank in Will's medical file when he watched them leave the room then he softly laughed, shook his head and rolls his eyes.

The door opened as Louisa walked in and closed the door behind her. She heard someone laughing as she headed for the master bedroom and placed her bookbag on the chair near the table.

"Hello?" Louisa asked when Alec came out of the bathroom and smiled. He was wearing just his blue swim trunks with white dolphin on them and his hair was wet.

"Hi!" Alec said.

"Hi. What's going on?"

"We're giving Papa Bear a shower."

"Why?"

"Uh…," he said and looked back at the bathroom. Louisa looked over at the bed when she saw the bedding had been changed and she covered her mouth to stop from laughing.

"Are you coming in here or not, Clark?" Will asked from the bathroom and she walked to the doorway. Wil was sitting on the shower chair with a towel draped over his lap while Nathan stood in front of him and held the shower massage in his hands. Cally leaned against the counter as she smiled at Louisa and Will had an embarrassed look on his face.

"Mind telling me what happened?" Louisa asked.

"I…. I messed the bed."

"I figured out that part. When did it happen?"

"It was a few minutes ago," Cally said with a small smile.

"Cally had helped me put Will down for a kip then she stayed with him while I went to get Alec from school. When I came back, I went to check on Will and he…," Nathan said and Will glared at him.

"It appears the waste bag sprung a leak," Will said and Louisa nodded. She walked closer as she leaned over and gently kissed his lips. She saw the look in his eyes as she brushed back some of his hair and placed her forehead against his.

"I feel like a baby," he whispered and she softly rubbed the back of his neck.

"No, it's alright," she whispered and he sighed.

"Yeah. Accidents happen, Papa Bear," Alec said and Will glanced at him. "Remember when I wet the bed?"

"Yeah, I do," Will said with a small smile and Alec smiled back.

"Let's get you rinsed off," Nathan said while Louisa moved back and walked to the doorway. Turning, she watched Nathan washing Will's back when she smiled, patted the wall and left the room.

"He wet the bed?!" Devon said with a small laugh and poured some white wine into the glass.

"It happens," Nathan said as he took a sip of the wine and she shook her head.

"I really don't think I could handle being like that."

"Oh, I don't know. You're a pretty tough woman."

"I guess," she said, poking at the pasta on her plate.

"Come off it. You know you are," he said, pointing his fork at her. "I can still see the ice queen who showed up that day and she wasn't concerned with Will being upset over finding out he was a dad."

"You didn't like me."

"Yeah, I thought it was a scam. I heard all about Alicia Dewar from Will and the idea of her digging the knife in a little more pissed me off."

"From the little time I have spent around her, I don't blame you," she said and took a sip of the wine. "You still think I'm an ice queen?"

"When you have to be," he said with a nod and placed some pasta in his mouth.

"But not all the time?" she asked and he shook his head before swallowing. She gave him a small smile when she sipped on the white wine then sat back in the chair. He noticed she was shutting down when he got up and she looked at him. He walked to her as he held his hand out and she took his hand, standing up. She felt him pull her against him as Nathan hugged her and she placed her head against his shoulder. He lifted her chin with his thumb as he leaned closer and gently kissed her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck while the kiss deepened then she moved back and softly laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"You taste like garlic," she said and he rolled his eyes then shook his head. Suddenly, her phone beeped as she moved away from Nathan as she walked to the coffee table and picked up her phone. She pushed the button when she read the text and Nathan saw the anger in her eyes. "Damn."

"What's wrong?" he said as she pushed the button, walked to the counter to pick up her purse, put on her glasses and he saw the Ice Queen looking at him.

"I have to go," she said as she headed for the door when she opened the door and looked at him. "Will you be here when I get back?"

"Sure," he said, watching her leave and she closed the door behind her. Sighing, he walked back to the table, picked up the glass of wine then went to the couch. He sat down when he used the remote to turn the television on and took a sip of wine.

Louisa held the book for him while Will read the story and Alec' head was resting on his right shoulder. She tried not to laugh at the voices Will was doing for the characters when she glanced at Alec and placed the book down.

"What are you doing?" Will asked.

"He's asleep," she said and he glanced down at his son. Alec had his eyes closed and was breathing softly and Louisa placed the book on the night table. Getting up, she picked Alec off of Will then walked to the door and Will watched them leaving the room. He looked at the photo of him and Alec while he imagined reading to Alec from the time he was a baby and Louisa taking Alec to his room after he fell asleep.

"_Damn you, Alicia,"_ he thought when Louisa came back into the room and saw how he was looking at the photo. She looked at the photo then at him as she walked to the bed and slid under the covers with him.

"Talk to me," she said and he glanced at her.

"I was just imagining reading stories to Alec from the time he was a baby up to now."

"Oh," she said then became quiet.

"You are there, too," he said and she moved her fingers up his chest and stroke the side of his neck. She watched him close his eyes while he sighed and she moved a finger along his jawline. The tip of her finger moved along his lower lip as a cool shiver moved through him and he glanced at the doorway. "If I could move, this would be when I would tell you to go lock the door."

Louisa felt the blush move across her cheeks as she kissed his lips, got up, got out the medical file and the medical equipment then went into the bathroom to get the medication so they could be intimate. After examining him and giving him the medication, she carefully climbed on top of him and he watched her unbuttoning his pajamas top. She moved the pajamas top to his sides when she saw the look in his eyes and she moved her fingers up his chest to his neck. She held his head in her hands when she kissed his lips and he made a little moan.

"What's wrong?" she asked with concern in her eyes.

"Nothing," he said and she gently nuzzled his neck. Her fingers moved behind his ears, making him laugh, and she hushed him. "Sorry."

She nodded when she kissed his chest and he looked at the ceiling. He focused on what she was doing when she locked eyes with him and he gave her a smile.

A short time later, Louisa's head was resting against his right shoulder with the bedding pulled up to his shoulders and her fingers spread out on his chest over his heart. Her eyes were closed as he listened to her soft breathing when his eyes closed and he slowly drifted off to sleep.

_**A/N: Hope you don't mind the naughty bits in these last few chapters. At least this time they didn't get interrupted or have to stop.**_


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-nine

Will slowly opened his eyes as he looked at the ceiling and he blinked his eyes a few times. He felt like he was being watched when he glanced over at the doorway and saw Alec standing there. Alec was wearing a TARDIS pajamas top with light blue pajamas bottoms and he held Stripy in his arms.

"Morning," Will said. Alec walked to the bed when he carefully climbed up and got under the bedding. He snuggled next to Will when he placed his head against Will's arm and Will smiled. "Still sleepy, hunh?"

"Yeah," Alec said with a small yawn.

"I've had days like that," Will said. He watched while Louisa walked in the room when she stopped then smiled at them.

"You two look comfortable," she said.

"There's room for one more," Will said and she walked to the bed, sitting next to Alec.

"So, what do you want to do today?"

"Didn't I hear there was something going on at the castle?"

"Yes, there is. It's the Family Fun Day," she said, carding Alec' hair and Alec looked at her.

"What's that?" Alec asked.

"It's a day where families and tourists go to the castle for a day of fun, music, games, special events and food," Will said.

"When was the last time you went?" Louisa asked and Will glanced at her.

"It was a month before my accident."

"Oh."

Alec looked from her to Will then back and Will saw the look in her eyes.

"Did you have fun, Papa Bear?" Alec asked.

"Yes, I did," Will said with a smug look. "In fact, I won a medal in jousting."

"You _what_?!" Louisa asked.

"I won a medal in jousting."

"What is that?" Alec asked.

"It's when a man gets on his horse, someone hands him something called a lance and he rides really fast at another man."

"Why?"

"He wants to knock him off his horse."

"That's mean."

"Yeah, but it's fun," he said and the dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled at Louisa. "Clark, will you go get my laptop?"

Louisa got up when she walked to the table and picked up the laptop. She walked back to the bed when she sat down and pushed the power button after opening the laptop. They watched the screen come on as Will looked at the files then glanced at Louisa.

"Open the video file."

She opened the file when he looked at the videos and smiled.

"Play the fourth video in the sixth row," he said and she used the cursor to play the video.

"_Are you sure about this?" _Rupert's voice asked as they looked at Will and Will smiled at the camera. He was wearing a blue silk tunic with silver sleeves, grey leg armor over his jeans, black leather boots and his hair was brushed back on his head.

"_Yeah, I'm sure," _Will sad with a nod and Georgina helped Will put on the chest plate and gloves.

"_Have you ever done this before?" _Freddie's voice asked and Rupert turned the camera toward him.

"_Uh, no, but there's always a first time," _Will's voice said and Rupert turned the camera toward him.

"_Just make sure we don't end up visiting you in the hospital," _Michael's voice said and Rupert's voice softly laughed.

"_Don't jinx me."_

They watched Will walking to a chestnut brown horse as the groomsman helped Will onto the horse and Will took the reins in his right hand.

"_Still time to change your mind," _Freddie's voice said.

"_Thanks for the support," _Will said as he stuck his tongue out at him and Georgina laughed.

"_Just remember to stay on the horse," _Michael's voice said and Will sighed, rolling his eyes.

"_No. I'm planning on falling off."_

They watched Will riding off on the horse when they saw the jousting ring and Louisa gently carded the top of Alec' head. The groomsman handed Will a blue and silver lance after Will had placed the helmet on and Will nodded.

"You look really cool, Papa Bear," Alec said and Will smiled at him. They listened to the announcer as he introduced the jousters and Louisa smiled when he called Will "Sir William". The flag was waved as the jousters rode toward each other and Will noticed Louisa was nibbling on her fingernail. The lances smashed together as the horses passed each other then turned and headed back toward each other. The horses moved faster when Will changed his position on the saddle and his lance knocked into his opponent. His opponent fell to the ground as Rupert and the others cheered and Will raised his arm up. "Yay!"

"It's not over yet," Will said and they looked at the screen. Will's opponent was placed back on the horse as Will placed the visor of the helmet down and took a new lance from the groomsman. The horses moved side to side when the flag was waved and the horses charged at each other. The lances slammed together as Will nearly fell off the saddle and Rupert gasped.

"Uh-oh!" Alec said.

"It's ok. Watch," Will said and Alec looked at the screen. Will turned the horse as he shook his head and lowered the lance. The horses raced at each other when his opponent rammed the lance into his chest and Will fell off the horse.

"_Will!" _Michael's voice said as Rupert lowered the camera and they headed for Will. Rupert raised the camera while Will looked up at the sky and Georgina raised the visor.

"_Are you ok?" _Georgina asked.

"_Yeah," _Will said while Freddie and Michael helped him up and he smiled at the camera.

"_You sure?" _Freddie asked.

"_I'm sure," _he said and the groomsman helped him back on the horse. The groomsman handed Will his helmet as Will looked at his opponent and flipped the visor down. He took the lance from the groomsman when he sat up straighter and gave Rupert a thumb's up. The horses moved into position when the flag was waved and the horses ran at each other. The lances slammed into each other as Will turned his horse to take another try and Rupert's voice puffed out a breath of air. The horses charged at each other when Will changed his position on the saddle and used the lance to knock his opponent off the horse.

"_Yes!" _Freddie's voice cheered when Will dropped the lance and raised his hands over his head after taking the helmet off and tossing the helmet into the air.

"Wow!" Alec said as Will smiled and Louisa sat up a little, leaned over and kissed Will's cheek. They watched as Steven placed the medal around Will's neck then he shook Will's hand and Will turned, making a small bow. Louisa got up while she turned the video and the laptop off and placed the laptop on the table.

"Well, let's get the morning routine over with so we can go to the castle," Louisa said and Will and Alec smiled at her.

_Stortfold Castle_

The small lift went back into the van as Louisa closed the locked the doors and Will looked at the castle. Bright banners were hanging from the walls and the grounds had been groomed and cleaned. Brightly colored tents were spread over the grounds with banners on wooden poles and the sounds of festive music played over the speakers on the top of the wooden poles. The sweet smells of cooking food and drink moved through the air and he noticed the wooden boards snaking along the grounds.

"Those are for you, Dear," Camilla said as she walked closer and Will smiled at her.

"You didn't have to go to all this trouble," Will said while Louisa placed her hand on his left shoulder.

"Your father insisted," she said with a nod then held out something. "And he insisted you wear this."

Camilla held up a blue silk tunic with silver sleeves and Louisa realized it was the tunic from the video. She helped Camilla placed the tunic on Will after Alec got off his lap and Will glanced down at the sleeves.

"He also insisted you wear this," she said and held up the gold silk ribbon with the gold chrome medal at the end.

"I want to put it on him," Alec said and Louis picked him up then placed him on Will's lap. Louisa carefully lowered Will's head so Alec could place the gold silk ribbon around his papa's neck then she gently lifted Will's head. Will blinked the tears from his eyes as he smiled and deep dimples dented his cheeks. Louisa used the pads of her thumbs to wipe the tears away then leaned over to kiss Will's lips.

"Shall we get going?" Camilla asked. They headed for the wooden boards as Louisa helped get the wheelchair onto them and they headed into the fairgrounds. Will looked around while they moved by the tents and Alec leaned against his papa's chest. Will stopped the wheelchair near a wooden pole with a banner on it and there were four different tunics printed on the banner.

"What is that?" Alec asked.

"It's a tunic banner," Will said and Alec looked up at him. "The yellow tunics at the bottom are for the tourists."

Alec looked around when he saw people wearing yellow tunics and some wore green tunics. He also saw some people in red tunics and Will looked over to where Alec was looking.

"The green tunics are for everyone else. The red tunics are for the people who run the events and security."

"Like my dad," Louisa said, pointing to Bernard.

"Finally, the blue tunics are for, well, for me and my father."

"Does that mean you're the prince?" Alec asked and Will softly laughed.

"I guess you can say that."

"That makes you the prince as well," Camilla said and held up a smaller blue silk tunic with silver sleeves.

"Mother…," Will said as he looked at the tunic. "That's one of my old tunics."

"I know," she said and helped Alec put on the tunic. Louisa used her phone to take a photo of Alec and Will and Camilla had placed Will's arms around Alec. They headed by one of the tents when Steven walked closer and he was wearing a blue silk tunic with silver sleeves.

"Hello," Steven said with a nod.

"Sir, look, we're wearing matching tunics!" Alec said.

"Yes, we are."

"Thank you for the path, Father," Will said and Steven nodded.

"Would you like to go for a pony ride, Alec?" Steven asked as he looked at his grandson.

"Yes please!" Alec said while raising his arms up and Steven lifted Alec off of Will's lap. They watched them walk away as Camilla smiled and placed her hand on Will's right shoulder.

"Oh boy," Will sighed and she lightly squeezed his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Louisa asked.

"Nothing. But I have a feeling someone might want a pony for his birthday."

"You got one when you were his age. Or have you forgotten about Poo-Poo?" Camilla teased and Will rolled his eyes.

"Poo-Poo?!" Louisa asked as she tried not to laugh.

"I named him that because he was brown and a little smelly," Will said as he gave her an annoyed look and arched an eyebrow.

"Is that why you don't like horses?"

"No, that was something else."

"Well, if he does want a pony, I will leave it up to his parents to decide if he gets one or not," Camilla said as she walked away and Will looked up at Louisa.

"Did she just….?" Louisa asked.

"Yeah, she did," Will said and Louisa walked around to the back of the wheelchair then she slid her arms around his shoulders. He leaned his head against hers as she smiled and lightly moved her hand over his upper chest. He then noticed the looks from people going by when he glanced at Louisa and blinked. "I'm fine, Clark."

"I didn't say anything," she said. He flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair headed down the track and she slid her arm around his waist.

The day passed as Louisa moved Will over to a shady spot so he could take a kip and she sat on the bench, reading the book she had brought with her. She looked up to see Camilla walking closer and Camilla had a sleeping Alec in her arms. His cheek was against her right shoulder and Louisa saw the joy in her mother-in-law's face.

"I see Alec isn't the only one who's sleeping," Camilla said.

"Yes. He fell asleep about a half an hour ago," Louisa said, looking at Will. She had leaned the wheelchair back enough so he would be comfortable and had placed a blanket over his legs and feet. Camilla carefully placed Alec on Will's lap as Alec leaned his head against his papa's chest and Camilla slid Will's arms around him. She sat next to Louisa as she watched people going by and Louisa glanced at her. "Have I…? Have I said thank you?"

"I think you have, but you know it is my husband, daughter and I who have you to thank for helping him realize life was still worth living."

"He told me once I wasn't living, but existing. That I had settled for staying here instead of going out into the world and finding a life. He was right. I had settled. And it was my own fault."

"If you are talking about what happened in the hedge maze…"

"You know about that?!" she said with fear in her eyes and Camilla nodded.

"I did extensive research on all potential candidates for William's companion."

"And you still hired me?" she asked as she lowered her head.

"Of course," she said and Louisa looked at her. "I guess you didn't know this, but your assailants have been in prison for years. One or two of them even faced me in court on other assault cases."

Louisa saw the truth in her eyes as Camilla smiled and Louisa nodded. She watched Camilla get up and walk away when she heard a soft moan and turned to see Will looking at her with his eyes slightly open.

"How much of that did you hear?" Louisa asked.

"Just bits and pieces," he said with a sleepy tone and her eyebrows rose. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"If I do, you will think I'm nothing more than a whore."

"Why would I think that?"

"Never mind," she said when she got up as she placed the book in the basket under the wheelchair then slid her arms around his shoulders. He could just see the top of Alec's head as Will smiled and he leaned his head against hers. She stood up then moved the back of the wheelchair so he was sitting up, placed the wheelchair on manual and started pushing the wheelchair.

"Where are we going?"

"We are going to deal with the past," she said and he leaned his head against the headrest. They arrived at the hedge maze when she stopped the wheelchair near the spot where they had their talk and he looked at the view.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Do what?" Alec asked with a sleepy tone as he woke up and looked up at Will.

"We're going into the hedge maze," Will said and Alec looked at the hedge maze.

"Sir said you used to go in there a lot."

"Yep. It was one of my favorite places to play."

"Can we go in, Lou?" he asked as he looked at Louisa.

"Sure," she said and switched it so Will could steer the wheelchair. They headed for the entrance as Louisa looked at the hedges then placed her hand on Will's left shoulder and they entered the maze. She watched the hedges surrounding them, but was surprised when she didn't feel sick or scared and the butterflies in her stomach were silent.

"Look, Papa Bear, a mouse!" Alec said as the small mouse with brown fur skittered across the path then vanished under a hedge. They turned the corner when they heard giggling and watched some children running by with their mother close behind them.

"Sorry!" she cried out after passing them and Will smiled up at Louisa. He used his thumb to flick the joystick as they headed down the path and heard the sound of other people. They passed people while moving down the path then came to the center of the hedge maze and Louisa looked at the spot where Treena had found her. Will watched her walk over to the spot when he moved the wheelchair closer and Alec got off his lap.

"What are you looking at, Lou?" Alec asked.

"The last time I was here…," she started then paused and sighed as she knelt down in front of him. "The last time I was here, something really bad happened to me on this spot."

"Oh," Alec said with a nod then kicked the leaves at their feet. He stamped his feet as he growled and Louisa saw the pleased look on Will's face. Louisa felt her heart melting as she stood then lifted Alec up and hugged him. Will flicked the joystick as they backed up and he spun the wheelchair around in circles on the spot and moved the wheelchair back and forth. He gave them a smug look as she softly laughed and Alec clapped. If he could, Will would have made a small bow. But seeing the joy in her eyes made him feel like a true knight and he gave her a wide grin and a wink.

Louisa stood in the doorway as she watched Alec sleeping and Will's gold medal was around his neck. She walked down the small hallway when she walked into the master bedroom and saw Will sitting up in the bed.

"Is he asleep?" Will asked.

"Yeah," she said while walking to the bed and sat next to him. She gently moved his arm so she could snuggle closer then placed his arm around her and her head rested against his shoulder. They were silent for a few minutes when he felt her looking at him and he glanced at her. "Do you really want to know what happened in the hedge maze?"

"Yes, but only if you want to tell me."

Sighing, Louisa felt the butterflies soaring in her stomach when she started talking and saw Will's jaw twitch every now and then. When she finished, Louisa gently moved his arm back as she got out of bed and headed for the doorway.

"Where are you going?" he asked. She stopped while placing her hand on the doorway and he wanted so badly to get up, walked to her and wrap his arms around her. "Clark? Louisa, turn around and look at me."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to see the anger, hate or pity in your eyes."

"I admit I am angry, but not at you. I hate those animals for what they did, but I don't hate the fact you and your sister got high and drunk then flirted with them. And whatever pity you see is there because you let that one thing keep you from finding your place in the world. But, by doing so, you did something neither Alec nor I expected. If you had gone off and found a life somewhere else, I would be dead and Alec would still be with Alicia or somewhere far worse."

Tears filled her eyes as she wondered how she got so lucky to find someone like Will and a part of her agreed with him.

"Louisa?"

Louisa turned when she walked to the bed, pushed the button to lower the headboard a little, turned off the light and walked to her side of the bed. She slid under the bedding when she wrapped her arms around his arm and placed her head against his shoulder.

"Why don't you like horses?" she asked after a few minutes. Will looked at the dark ceiling for a few seconds when he made a little sigh and blinked.

"It happened when I was in boarding school. I was ten. My mother thought it would be a good idea for me to take riding lessons and I reluctantly agreed. I was given a black Mustang stallion called "Star". He was a gentle horse, but could run like the wind. One day, we were out for a ride when Star was frightened by a bee and took off with me on his back. I yelled for help and tried to stop him, but he wouldn't."

"Didn't anyone try and stop him?"

"Yes, but he was so fast. We headed for these high bushes when he jumped and I fell off the saddle. I hit the ground so hard that I thought I had broken my back. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. My right leg and my left arm were broken and I had three cracked ribs. I never went near a horse again."

"Until the day you decided to try jousting."

"Yeah," he said with a tiny nod. "Want to know why I did that?"

"You were facing your fear."

"Right," he said. Will made a small moan as he closed his eyes then drifted off to sleep and Louisa watched him for a few minutes. She gently kissed his cheek then she closed her eyes and slid her hand across his chest until her hand came to rest near his side.


	30. Chapter 30

_**A/N: Something bad is going to happen to Will.**_

Chapter Thirty

The bedroom was still while Alec slept and held Stripy closed to his chest. Suddenly, he started moaning and thrashing under the bedding when he woke up and sniffed. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he moved the bedding back and headed for the door. He headed down the small hallway when he stood in the doorway to the main bedroom and could just see Will and Louisa.

"Hey, Buddy," Will whispered as Alec walked closer and stood near the side of the bed.

"You're awake," Alec whispered.

"I know. It happens. Did you have a bad dream?"

"Uh-hunh," he whispered with a nod.

"Come on up then," he whispered and Alec carefully climbed onto the bed. He didn't want to wake Louisa as he slid under the bedding and Will glanced at him. "Do you want me to tell you a story?"

"Yeah."

"Have I told you about the time I slept on the side of a mountain?"

"No," he whispered with a shake of his head. Will started telling him the story when Will stopped and started making soft wheezing sounds. Alec sat up when he looked at Louisa and started shaking her.

"Lou, wake up! Something's wrong with Papa Bear!" Alec said and Louisa woke up then sat up as she turned the light on.

"Will?" Louisa asked as she softly touched Will's cheek and felt the warmth coming from his skin. Will looked at her with watery eyes as she moved the bedding back, opened the drawer and removed the stethoscope. Alec moved back as Louisa opened the top of Will's pajamas and gently placed her hand against his chest. His chest rose and fell when she thought she felt something and looked at the stethoscope. She placed the earbuds in her ears when she listened to Will's chest and his heart thumped strong and steady in her ears. The soft bubbling sound came from his lungs as she took the earbuds out of her ears and she placed the stethoscope in the drawer.

"Lou, what's wrong with Papa Bear?" Alec asked, looking at her.

"Papa Bear's sick," Louisa said as she got up and removed the medical file from the drawer. Alec looked at Will as she reached over and softly carded the top of Alec' head. "It'll be ok. Remember what Nathan said we're supposed to do if Papa Bear got sick during the night?"

"We're not supposed to panic and we're supposed to call for an ambulance and take him to the hospital."

"Right," she said as she wrote the information in the medical file then looked at the intercom. She lifted Alec off the bed when they headed for the intercom and she looked at the blue button. "I need you to push the blue button."

"Why?"

"it's to tell Sir and Lady that Will's sick," she said and Alec pushed the blue button.

"Louisa, what's wrong?" Camilla's voice asked a few seconds later.

"Will's sick. He is slightly feverish and he's having trouble breathing."

"Steven is calling for an ambulance. Do you need some assistance?"

"No. Nathan told me what to do."

"I shall call Nathan and have him meet us at the hospital."

"Ok," Louisa said then the intercom clicked off and Louisa looked at the bed. She walked to the bed when she placed Alec down next to Will then went into the bathroom. She turned the light on as she walked to the medicine cabinet and opened the door. She looked at the chart to see what she had to give him and removed the medication from the medicine cabinet. She walked out of the bathroom with the medication when she wrote the information down in the medical file then looked at Will. He had his eyes half open and she heard the soft wheezing sound coming from his mouth and she sat down next to him.

"Open," she said. Will opened his mouth as she gave him the medication then a drink of water then brushed the hair from his eyes. She got up when she walked over to the one thing she never thought she had to use and carefully moved the oxygen tank to the bed. Alec watched her as she read the information when she picked up the oxygen mask and looked at Will. Will barely shook his head as she nodded and he frowned.

"Alec, I need you to help me with this. You need to place this over Papa Bear's nose and mouth," she said and handed him the oxygen mask. Will noticed how she looked at Alec as he placed the oxygen mask over Will's nose and mouth and she turned the valve while the soft hiss from the oxygen tank filled the room.

"Lou," Will croaked under the oxygen mask and she looked at him. "Stop."

"No, we have to do this."

"Stop worrying."

"You want me to stop worrying?"

"Yes. Alec."

"What about Alec?"

"Practice."

"What?"

"Nathan, Papa Bear and I practiced what to do if he got sick so I don't get scared," Alec said and her eyebrows shot up as she blinked.

"Oh."

A short time later the ambulance arrived as Louisa opened the doors and stood back as the EMTs moved by her. Steven and Camilla watched them go into the main bedroom as Steven held her and Camilla placed her head against his shoulder.

Alec sat on the bed with Will when the EMTs walked in the room and one of the EMTs smiled at Alec.

"Hello," she said while she placed the gurney next to the bed and opened the medical kit.

"Hi," Alec said.

"What's your name?"

"Alec."

"Well, Alec, we need you to move, ok?"

Alec nodded as he got off the bed and went to stand next to Louisa. They watched the EMTs examine Will then carefully moved Will onto the gurney when one of the EMTs picked Stripy off the bed and looked at it.

"That's mine," Alec said and the EMT handed Stripy to him. "Can we go with you?"

"I don't see why not," the other EMT said.

"Let's go get your trainers and coat," Louisa said as they left the room and the EMTs pushed the gurney behind them.

"How is he?" Camilla asked, looking at Will.

"He's stable," the EMT said.

"We're going with them to the hospital," Louisa said as she helped Alec on with his trainers and Camilla nodded. Steven held onto Camilla as Louisa and Alec followed the EMTs and Louisa watched the EMTs place the gurney in the back of the ambulance. She took the EMT's hand as she helped Louisa into the ambulance then helped Alec and Louisa sat on the small stool by the doors. Alec walked to the gurney while the EMT closed the doors and Alec looked at Will.

"Alec, can do me a favor?" the other EMT asked as Alec walked to him and the EMT smiled. "I need you to push that red button, ok?"

"Why?" Alec asked.

"It turns the emergency lights and siren on."

"Oh," Alec said when he pushed the red button and the red and blue lights started flashing and the sound of the siren filled the air.

"Great job," he said and Alec smiled. Alec walked back to the gurney when he saw Will's eyes were slightly open and Will glanced over at him.

"I got to turn the siren on," Alec said as he grinned and Will softly smiled at him from under the oxygen Will closed his eyes again while Alec sat on Louisa's lap and the ambulance headed down the drive.

_Saint Andrew's Hospital_

"Lou!" Nathan called out while he ran down the hallway then found Louisa, Alec, Camilla, Steven, Bernard, Josie, Treena, Thomas and Granddad in the family waiting room. Alec and Thomas were sleeping on the green vinyl couch and Granddad was sleeping in the wheelchair a nurse had given Josie. "Have you heard anything?"

"Not yet," Louisa said and he gave her a hug after walking to her.

"How did this happen?"

"I don't know. He was fine when I put him to bed. If Alec hadn't woken me up…"

"Alec was sleeping in your bed again?"

"No. We have been trying to stop him from doing that."

"Then why was he in your bed?"

"I don't know. All I know he was there when I woke up and Will was…," she said then lowered her head.

"Hey. Look at me," he said and she looked at him. "This isn't your fault."

"I was asleep!" she growled through her teeth.

"I understand that."

"He could have…," she said then paused as she looked at Camilla and Steven. "He could have _died._"

"But he didn't."

Louisa nodded as the calm she had been holding onto faded and she started shaking. Nathan gently placed his arms around her as Louisa started crying and Camilla gave her a blank look.

"Well, it's about time," Camilla whispered and Steven gave her a puzzled look.

"What are you talking about?" Steven asked.

"I am talking about Louisa," she said and he looked at Louisa and Nathan. "I was wondering when she would finally release all that fear and tension. Heaven knows how many times I have cried when William had become ill after his accident."

"I don't think his suddenly becoming ill is the only reason she's crying."

"You're right," she said as she got up and walked to Nathan and Louisa. Louisa looked at her when Camilla opened her arms and Louisa walked to her. Camilla hugged Louisa as she hushed her and Louisa placed her arms around her.

"Excuse me," Doctor Kevin Lockwood said as they looked at him standing in the doorway and he had Will's medical chart in his hands.

"Are you my son's doctor?" Steven asked.

"Yes. I am Doctor Lockwood," Kevin said with a nod.

"How is he?" Camilla asked.

"He is stable," he said as he looked at the information on the chart.

"Does he have pneumonia?" Louisa asked.

"Yes, but, thanks to your quick thinking, it's not as bad as it could have been."

"He had a case of pneumonia last year," Nathan said.

"I read that in his medical file. And, like last time, he is reacting to the antibiotics and there is no sign of damage to his lungs or heart."

"Has he regained consciousness?" Louisa asked.

"No, but he is resting comfortably."

"I want to go see him," Alec said with a sleepy tone as he sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Louisa walked to the couch when she lifted him up and Doctor Lockwood looked at him.

"He's sleeping," Louisa said and Alec placed his cheek against her shoulder.

"Please?" he asked and Doctor Lockwood sighed.

"Follow me," Kevin said as they left the room and headed down the hallway. He stopped at the window which looked into Will's room and Louisa looked at Will. The plastic oxygen mask covered Will's nose and mouth while a blue blanket and sheet covered him up to his chest and his left arm rested on top of the bedding. Louisa looked at the intravenous drip and the heart monitor and Doctor Lockwood saw the look on her face. "He's going to be fine."

"I know," she said in a soft voice.

"Can we go in to see him?" Alec asked.

"No. Not right now," Kevin said.

"Why don't we go home and Doctor Lockwood will call us when he wakes up?" Louisa asked and Alec nodded. Doctor Lockwood watched them walk down the hallway then turned to look back at Will and sighed.

Devon wasn't sure why she woke up as she opened her eyes and blinked. She reached over for her phone when she pushed the button and saw the photo of her and Nathan. Smiling, she sat up when she pushed the button and checked her text messages. She frowned when she saw a text from Nathan at two thirty in the morning and she pushed the button.

**Will is in the hospital. Pneumonia. I will call you later once I find out how bad. – N**

She dropped the phone in her lap as she softly swore and leaned the back of her head against the wall.

Rupert woke up when he looked at the ceiling and sighed. He looked over at the clock when he saw what time it was and he sat up, picking up the pill box. He came to accept he would be having to take the medication in the pill box for the rest of his life as he opened the lid and dumped the morning dose into the palm of his hand. He placed the pills into his mouth then took a drink of water then swallowed. He sat against the wall as he sighed when the door opened and the nurse his parents hired walked in the room.

"Good morning, Sir," Nurse Francine Douglas said and he smiled,

"Morning Frankie," he said and she removed the medical equipment out of the drawer in the night table. She removed the medical file as well as he looked at the guard standing in the doorway and frowned. His parents still insisted he have a guard even though he was at home and Frankie looked at the guard. "Just ignore him."

Nodding, Frankie started examining him when he heard a chirp coming from his phone and he looked at the phone.

"Mind if I get that?" he asked.

"Sure," she said with a nod and he picked up the phone. He saw the photo of Will, Alec and Louisa on the screen as he moved his thumb over the button, but something prevented him from pushing the button. Sighing, he placed the phone back down as she looked at him and saw the look in his eyes. "Is there something wrong?"

"No. I just don't feel like answering it," he said as she nodded and went back to examining him. Rupert looked straight ahead as he started praying he was wrong about why Louisa would have text him at three in the morning and half closed his eyes.

Louisa stood in front of the window as she watched the nurse examining Will and Louisa placed her hand against the glass. She had called Alec' school and the university to explain why neither of them would be attending classes and their head masters were very understanding. Camilla and Steven had also called off work and Camilla told her Georgina had gotten the first flight out of Sydney.

"Lou?!" a voice called out as she turned and saw Patrick walking quickly down the hallway.

"What are you doing here?" she asked and he stood next to her. Patrick looked at Will when he sighed and crossed his arms over his stomach.

"I was out for a run when I saw Treena. She looked really upset, so I asked her what was wrong. She told me he was in the hospital," Patrick said with a nod of his head toward Will. "How bad is it?"

"He's stable."

"She said he has pneumonia."

"Yeah."

"Is this the first time it's happened?"

"No. He had a case of pneumonia last year and the year before that."

"Damn," he said then looked down at his feet and sighed. "You… You looked really nice in your wedding dress."

"How did you know what I looked like in my wedding dress?"

"Treena had posted some photos online," he said then looked at her. "Lou, I understand why you didn't invite me to the wedding. I mean what sort of bitch invites their ex to their wedding?"

"His did," Louisa said as she looked at Will.

"She did?!"

"Yeah," she said with a nod.

"Did he go?"

"Yes, he did."

"Did you go with him?" he asked and she nodded. "That must have been fun."

"It was one of the best days of my life," she said with a small smile. Nodding, Patrick looked at Will when Camilla and Alec walked down the hallway then stopped next to Louisa.

"Hello," Camilla said as she looked at Patrick and Patrick noticed the look in her eyes.

"Hello," Patrick said.

"This is Patrick," Louisa said.

"Ah. Yes. The ex,' she said and handed Alec to her.

"This is Will's mother," she said and Patrick nodded.

"Lou, has Papa Bear woken up yet?" Alec asked and Patrick frowned.

"Papa Bear?" Patrick asked, looking at Louisa. Louisa noticed the tone of his voice as she sighed and adjusted her hold on Alec. The door opened when the nurse walked out of the room then stopped and looked at them.

"Is it alright for us to go in?" Camilla asked.

"He's still unconscious," the nurse said.

"We won't wake him up," Alec said and the nurse smiled.

"Alright. But just for a few minutes," she said and Louisa handed Alec to Camilla. Camilla gave her a questioning look as Louisa shook her head and Camilla opened the door, going in the room. Louisa watched her walk to the bed when Camilla placed Alec on the bed next to Will then Louisa looked at Patrick.

"Before you say anything, he did not know Alec existed until last November," she said and Patrick frowned.

"How could he_ not_ know!?" Patrick asked, looking at him.

"Because his ex is a selfish, vengeful bitch," she said and he heard the anger in her voice. "They had a row over something she had done and he broke things off with her. What she didn't tell him was she was pregnant and kept his son away from him for nearly four years."

"How did he find out?"

"His best friend told him."

"His best friend told him?"

"Yeah."

"How did he find out?"

"She was sleeping with him, too. And, yes, he had a paternity test done to see if he really was the father."

"Damn," Patrick said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "How did he end up with the kid?"

"It's complicated," she said with a sigh. Patrick looked at Alec then at Will when he placed his hands in his jeans pockets and Louisa wondered what he was thinking.

"You better go in," he said. She watched him walk away then looked at Will, walked to the door, opened the door and walked in the room. She saw the look in Camilla's eyes as Louisa walked to the bed and Camilla blinked.

"Is everything alright?" Camilla asked.

"Yes," Louisa said with a nod.

"Are you sure?"

"Patrick knows how much I love Will. He won't do anything."

"About what?" hissed from under the oxygen mask as they looked at Will and he had his eyes half open.

"Hey," Louisa said as she saw his eyes move to look at her then he looked at Alec.

"I'll go get the nurse," Camilla said and left the room. He looked at Louisa when he saw the worry in her eyes and he made a small sigh.

"Clark," Will said and she gently carded the top of his head.

"Don't talk," she said and he arched his eyebrows up. "Patrick was here."

"What did Marathon Boy want?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.

"Why did he call him that?" Alec asked.

"Patrick runs marathons," Louisa said then looked at Will. "I said don't talk."

Will's tongue slightly poked out from between his lips while the door opened and Camilla led the nurse in the room. Louisa lifted Alec off the bed as the nurse nodded and the nurse started examining Will.

Devon sat at her desk, but her mind was on the text Nathan had sent her. She had done research on what pneumonia could do to someone with Will's condition and she placed the side of her head in her right hand. Her phone buzzed as she looked at the phone and her stomach tightened. She picked up the phone when she looked at the photo of her and Nathan then pushed the button.

**Will is awake and is going to be fine. Will tell you more at dinner. – N**

Letting out the breath she was holding, she typed on the keyboard then sent the text and placed the phone down. She sat back in the chair as she smiled and went back to work.

Rupert looked at the movie when he heard a soft beeping sound and looked at the phone. He reached over to pick the phone up when he looked at the screen and saw a photo of Will and Louisa smiling at him. He wasn't sure if he should let it go to voicemail when he pushed the button and held the phone up to his right ear.

"Hello," he said. He heard a soft sigh as he frowned and blinked.

"Hiya," Will's voice said, but it sounded muffled. Rupert didn't feel any pain as his heart started beating a little faster and he smiled.

"Thought they didn't allow phones to be used in hospital rooms."

"That's why I'm going to keep this short."

"You sound like Darth Vader."

"Louisa said the same thing."

"Good to hear your voice, Mate."

Silence filled his ear when he heard the phone moving and he lightly clicked his feet together.

"Sorry. He fell asleep," Louisa's voice said.

"That's ok."

"He wants to see you."

"Ok," he said while reaching for a pen and paper and she told him which room Will was in and the name of the hospital. "Call me when it's a good day to come see him."

"I will," she said and he thought he heard Alec' voice. "Hold on."

"Hi!" Alec' voice said and he smiled.

"Hey!" Rupert said. "Are you helping Louisa take care of Papa Bear?"

"Yeah, but his heart's not broken. He just has bubbles."

Rupert tried not to laugh as he rolled his eyes and leaned back against the pillows.

"That's good to hear."

"We got to turn the phone off or the nurse will get mad."

"Ok. You be good for Louisa."

"I will," Alec's voice said as the call ended and Rupert looked at the phone. The door opened when Frankie walked in the room and she noticed the smile on his face.

"Good news?" she asked and he placed the phone on the night table.

"Very good news," he said, watching her walk toward the bed and he said a silent prayer of thanks.

_**A/N: What do you think of Rupert and Frankie? Think she's going to end up as his Lou?!**_


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-one

The days passed while Will grew stronger and the oxygen mask was replaced with oxygen prongs. He was taken off the intravenous drip, but he was still connected to the heart monitor. Doctor Lockwood told him his heart was fine and the monitor would be removed in the morning.

"Up for some company?" Devon asked as he looked at the doorway and gave her a grin.

"Sure," he said and she walked to the chair near the bed while the door closed behind her.

"How are you?"

"I'm better," he said and she reached over to place her hand on top of his left hand. He noticed the look in her eyes when he frowned and his eyebrows arched down. "Is there something wrong?"

"I'm just a little angry with you."

"Only just a little?" he teased as his eyebrow arched up.

"Yeah," she said as she reached into her purse and removed a small plastic bag with sliced grapes inside. "I brought you a present."

"How am I supposed to eat them?"

"I can feed you."

"Fine," he said and deep dimples dented his cheeks. She got up when she walked around to the other side of the bed and carefully sat down. She opened the small plastic bag when she placed the small plastic bag on the night table and stood up. He watched her walk to the bathroom to wash her hands then she dried her hands walked back to the bed. "Good idea."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Devon picked up the small plastic bag and removed a grape slice. She fed him then used a tissue from the box on the night table to wipe his lips and he smiled.

"Have you heard anything about Alicia's case?" he asked.

"We finally got a court date," she said as she picked up the plastic glass with some water in it and held the glass up. He barely nodded and opened his mouth. She placed the end of the plastic straw into his mouth as he took a few sips of water then she removed the straw.

"When is the court date?"

"It's July fourteenth," she said, placing the plastic glass back on the night table.

"Do you think they will want Alec to testify?"

"No, he's too young."

"Will they use the testimony he gave DI Archer then?"

"Yes," she said with a nod and fed Will three more grape slices.

"What are the odds of her and her parents getting a not guilty verdict?"

"The odds are rather slim. Between his testimony and other evidence Archer has, the judge would have to be an idiot to let them get away with it."

"Or easily bought."

"There is that," she said and helped him take a drink of water. She fed him some more grape slices as they looked at each other and Will sighed.

"Do you think they would want me to testify?"

"They might. You were involved with her and friends with Rupert Freshwell," she said and Will went silent. She wondered what he was thinking when he slowly blinked and she waited for him to speak.

"Tell me something," he said with a serious look in his eyes. "If I could, would you like for me to find your brother and sister?"

Devon felt like someone punched her in the gut.

"You could do that?" she asked after a few seconds.

"My mother might be able to."

She went silent as she thought about the times she had gone to Child Services and asked for information about her brother and sister, but was told their files were sealed.

"Thanks for the offer, but…"

"Don't you want to find them?"

"Yes, I do," she said and he saw she was getting defensive.

"Are you afraid they don't want to be found?"

"More like I'm afraid of what they'll say if I do find them."

"Why?"

She felt herself retreating behind her walls as she sighed and shook her head.

"Remember when I was telling Alec about my father?"

"Yeah," he said with a small nod. "He was abusing you, your mother, your brother and sister."

"Remember when I said my mother did something to him?"

"Yeah."

"Well, the reason she did was because of something I did."

Will went silent for a few moments when what happened to Louisa suddenly appeared in his mind and his eyes widened. Devon had seen that look before as she lowered her head and sighed.

"It wasn't your fault."

"I know that now. But, at the time, I felt like it was."

"What did she do?"

"She shot him. She had gotten a gun for protection and had taken lessons on how to shoot it. That day… That day, she came home and he was…."

Will wanted to sit up and hug her as she took his right hand and wrapped their fingers together. He moved his thumb over the side of her index finger and she blinked.

"Did she kill him?"

"Yeah," she said with a nod. Will looked straight ahead when the door opened and the nurse walked in the room.

"Sorry," the nurse said as she walked to the bed and picked the chart out of the holder. "I need to examine him."

"That's ok," Devon said as she let go of Will's hand then stood up. He watched her walk to the door when she turned and gave him a little smile. "Let me think about it, ok?"

"Sure," he said with a nod and she left the room. She headed down the hallway when she balled her hands into fists and the clicking sound of her heels echoed down the hallway.

"Hey," Patrick said as the door opened and Will looked at him. The oxygen prongs and heart monitor were gone and Will wondered what Patrick wanted.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked and the door closed behind Patrick after he walked in the room.

"Just want to talk."

"About what?"

"About you," Patrick said and stood at the foot of the bed.

"What about me?"

"Is Lou right about you having no idea you had a kid until last November?"

"Yes, she is right. I had _no_ idea I had a kid. If I had…"

"If you had, things would have been different."

"Yeah," Will said with barely a nod.

"Did you love her?"

"Did I love Alec's mother? I did at the time. Now? Now, I loathe her," he said, leaning his head against the pillows.

"I don't blame you, Mate. I can't imagine what…"

"She took a chunk of my life," Will interrupted and Patrick walked to the chair next to the bed and sat down. "I should have been there for everything. I never had the chance to help her through the pregnancy. I never went to doctor's appointments or seen the first ultra sound."

"No offense, but would you have had time?"

"I would have made time," he said with a sigh and Patrick nodded.

"Why do I have a feeling you would have been one of those blokes who passes out in the delivery room?"

"Nah, I would have been the one who filmed everything," Will said and Patrick laughed.

"I bet Lou would have tossed a pillow at you if she had been his mum."

Will went silent as Patrick felt his stomach sink and he rolled his eyes while sitting back in the chair.

"Mate, I'm…"

"It's fine."

"No, it's not. I know Lou wants kids, but, me, I don't want any. That was one of the things I told her straight out when we got together. At the time, she was ok with it, but now…"

"Now she can't because I can't."

"But she is a mum," he said and Will smiled.

"She's a great mum. Alec loves her."

"I bet. Anyway, sorry I wasn't at the wedding."

"I wouldn't have blamed you if you hadn't shown up."

"Lou said you went to you ex' wedding."

"Yeah, I did."

"You're braver than I am, Mate. I would have made a fuss."

"Believe me, I wanted to."

"Treena posted some of the photos online. I can't believe you and Lou got married on the beach."

"It was her idea. I had told her about a beach wedding I went to once and she wanted me to have one."

"That's Lou," Patrick said and Will barely nodded his head then went silent again.

"I need you to do me a favor."

"What sort of favor?"

"I need you to keep quiet about Alec."

"Why?"

"His mother nor her parents know where he is…"

"Lou said it was complicated about why he's with you."

"Yeah, it is."

"Look, seeing how you're telling me this much, I swear I won't say a word."

"Thanks," Will said when the door opened and the nurse walked in the room.

"Sorry, but I need to examine him," the nurse said and Patrick nodded, got up and headed for the door. Will looked at him while Patrick turned then nodded his head and left the room. He walked down the hallway as he placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans and walked a little faster.

Louisa opened the door when she looked at Rupert and Rupert smiled at her. He held onto the handle of a black wood cane and she wondered what he was doing there. He was wearing a denim jacket, a white linen shirt, jeans, a black leather belt and white trainers. She noticed he looked better than the last time she had seen him and she leaned slightly against the edge of the door.

"Hello," she said.

"Hi. Sorry I never got around to seeing Will. My doctor thought it wouldn't be a good idea. I told him there wasn't much of a chance of me getting sick, but he didn't want to risk this," he said and lightly tapped his chest.

"We figured as much," she said as she stood back and he walked by her. The last time he had been to the annex was when he came with Alicia to tell Will they were getting married and he noticed they had redecorated.

"Looks like you changed a few things."

"Yeah, we did," she said closing the door. "Do you want some tea?"

"I'm not allowed that just yet. But I wouldn't mind a glass of ice water."

They walked to the kitchen when Louisa walked to the sink and Rupert looked at the drawings Alec had made sitting under the fruit magnets on the refrigerator door. Alec had drawn things for him and Alicia, but Alicia just tore them up and tossed them in the bin.

"Where is Alec?" Rupert asked as he sat down at the table.

"He's at baby school," she said as she filled a glass with water and placed an ice cube in the glass. She walked to the table when she placed the glass in front of him then sat down. He noticed the look in her eyes as he sipped on the ice water then placed the glass on the table.

"I guess you're wondering why I'm here," Rupert said, pushing his glasses up with his finger.

"Yes, I am. Does it have to do with Alec?"

"No. It has to do with you and Will."

"What about us?"

"Here," he said after taking a travel pamphlet out of his denim jacket and slid the pamphlet across the table toward her. She picked up the pamphlet when her eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened.

"The Four Winds Ranch?"

"I was trying to figure out what to give you and Will for a wedding present…"

"You already gave us Alec," she said and he smiled.

"Yeah, but I thought maybe you two would like to go there. It has…"

"I know what it has," she said and he gave her a puzzled look. "When I was looking for somewhere to take Will on holiday, this is where I was going to take him. He was so excited, but he came down with pneumonia and we couldn't' go."

"Then you like my present?"

"Yeah," she said with a smile.

"I also found this place where he could go skydiving."

"If it's the same place I found, I am seriously going to get scared."

"Great minds think alike then," he said and she laughed. He took another drink of water when he placed the glass down and she saw the look in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked and he sat back in the chair.

"I'm fine. Just thinking about Will and how I allowed things to get to this point."

"Well, the thing you have to realize is you, Alec and Will are going to be free once the trial is over."

"There is that."

"Are you….? Are you going to testify?"

"I guess I'll have to. Though my solicitor and doctor say it might be risky," he said, tapping his chest again.

"What will you do if they get off?"

"I'm going to help Will get custody of Alec or get custody myself."

"Do you think Alicia or her parents would allow it?"

"Can you see Will's mother not allowing it?" he asked, arching his eyebrow.

"No, I can't. She is very protective of this family."

"She's like a mother bear. Harm her cubs and you end up bloody."

"I believe you," she said with a nod when her phone beeped and she picked up the phone, looking at the screen. "I have to go pick up Alec."

"Mind if I stay until you get back?"

"Sure. I think Alec would love to see you," she said as she got up and he watched her leave the room. Hearing the door close, he got up when he picked up the glass and walked to the refrigerator door. He looked at the drawings and pictures as he sighed and took a small drink of water.

"Damn it, Alicia. I don't care what it takes. You are _not_ going to break up this family."

"Don't forget his slippers," Alec said while Louisa placed Will's dressing gown in the overnight bag and she smiled.

"I won't," she said.

"Can we hurry this along? I want to go home," Will said, getting frustrated.

"I have to get your jacket on," Nathan said as he carefully slid Will's right arm into the sleeve.

"Why do I need a jacket?"

"It's chilly out and we don't want you to come back here because you had an AD attack."

"Good point," Will said and Alec climbed onto his lap. Alec reached up when he placed a blue flop cap on Will's head and Will stuck his tongue out at him. Giggling, Alec sat on Will's lap and Louisa placed Will's slippers in the overnight bag. "Can we go now!?"

"We have to wait for your mum," Louisa said. The door opened while Camilla walked in the room and headed for the wheelchair.

"Well?!" Will asked after he turned the wheelchair around to look at his mother.

"Well what?" Camilla asked with a blank look.

"Papa Bear wants to go home," Alec said.

"Then shall we be going?"

"Finally!" Will said with wide eyes and Camilla softly laughed as she opened the door. Will flicked the joystick with his finger as they left the room and they headed down the hallway. Will glanced up at Louisa as she placed her hand on his left shoulder then noticed the mischievous look in his eyes.

"No," Louisa said.

"Is there something wrong?" Camilla asked.

"Your son wants to race down the hall so he gets to the lift first."

"William!" she gasped and he frowned.

"Spoilsport," he grumbled and Louisa gently carded the back of his head.

The van stopped at the door to the annex as Nathan and Louisa got out of the van and Louisa walked to the back of the van. She opened the doors to the back of the van as Alec and Will looked at her and she got in the van. She unlocked the breaks then got out of the van and Will flicked the joystick with his finger. The wheelchair moved onto the small lift as Louisa pushed the button and the small lift lowered the wheelchair. She watched the wheelchair quickly move toward the annex as Nathan opened the door and Will and Alec went inside. Smiling, Louisa made the small lift go back in the van then she closed and locked the doors and headed for the annex.

Will had his eyes closed while he listened to the music playing over the earbuds when he had the feeling he was being watched and opened his eyes. Alec was sitting next to him on the bed as Will smiled and wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

"If you want to talk to me, you have to take the earbuds out of my ears," Will said. Alec turned the music player off then carefully removed the earbuds from Will's ears and Will noticed the look on his son's face. "You're still mad at me, aren't you?"

"No," Alec said with a shake of his head.

"Alec, don't lie. I know I scared you. To be honest, I scared myself. If you hadn't woken Lou up…"

"You would have gotten really sick," he said with a nod.

"Yeah, I could have."

Alec moved the music player then gently moved Will's right arm and snuggled next to his papa. He placed his head against Will's chest as he listened to Will's heart beating and Will looked at the photo of him and Alec.

"Did I tell you how proud I am of you?" Will asked and Alec looked up at him.

"No."

"I am. I know we practiced what to do when I get sick, but seeing… Having to deal with me being sick… That's something completely different."

"Like the first time Lou helped when you have an AD attack?"

"She told you about that?" he asked and Alec nodded. "Yeah, just like that."

"So, it was ok that I was scared?"

"Yep," he said and dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled.

"It was fun when we got to ride in the ambulance."

"I don't really remember that."

"They let me turn the lights and siren on."

"Wow," he said, making a cat-like noise.

"It did get really scary when they took you into that room and Lou and I had to wait outside."

They went silent for a few minutes when Alec patted Will's chest and Will sighed.

"Papa Bear?"

"Yeah?" he asked, glancing down at him.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure. What do you want to tell me?"

"It's something you say to Lou."

"Something I say to Lou?"

"Yeah."

"I say a lot of things to her."

"It's what you said after we came to take you home and she kissed you," he said and Will thought for a few seconds. Smiling, his eyes widened and he swore he thought he felt his heart beating a little faster.

"Oh! That! Sure, you can say it."

"I love you."

"I love you, too," Will said and wanted to wrap his arms around his son. "Do you love Lou?"

"Yeah, and Nathan."

"That's good."

"Uh…"

"Is there anything else?"

"Well, I don't know if I should tell you."

"It's ok. You can always tell me things."

"I was… I was just wondering if it would be ok to call Lou something."

"What do you want to call her?"

"See, you're Papa Bear..."

"I know that."

"Do you…? Do you think she would like it if I called her "Mama"?"

Will thought he had heard a soft gasp as he looked at the photo of him and Lou, which was above the photo of him and Alec, and blinked.

"I think she would love that," he said. They became quiet again when Will made a little moan and Alec looked at him with worry in his eyes. "Don't panic. I just peed."

"You peed the bed?!" Alec asked with wide eyes.

"Well, yeah. I can't get up and go to the loo, you know," he said as he smiled and Alec giggled.

"Gross,"

"No, gross is taking a really big poop and calling someone in to look at it," he said and Alec' mouth fell open.

"You did that?!"

"Yep!" he said, popping the "p".

"Who did you show it to? Lou?"

"No, it wasn't Lou. It was…," Will said then paused. "It was the Bad Lady."

"Oh. Was she mad at you?"

"Yeah," he said and barely nodded his head then smiled. "Uncle Rupert thought it was funny,"

Alec had told them he wanted to call Rupert "Uncle Rupert".

"It's still gross."

"Well….," he said and Alec snuggled closer. "Want to know what I_ really_ miss doing?"

"What?"

"I miss farting."

"Farting is fun," he said with a nod.

"The best time is to let a silent one off when you're in the car. One time, I nearly caused Uncle Rupert to drive off the road when I let one go."

Louisa tried hard not to laugh as she stood near the doorway while they laughed then she turned and headed down the small hallway.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-two

"Here," Alec said as he handed Louisa Will's pajamas and she smiled at him. He wasn't happy about them going on a holiday without him, but he understood when they explained Devon would get into trouble if he left the country.

"_I was allowed when we went to the island for your wedding."_

"_That was because she came with us, Buddy."_

"Hand me that," Louisa said, pointing to the small travel kit with their toiletries. Alec handed her the small travel kit when she placed the small travel kit in the suitcase and he looked at the other small traveling kit.

"What's in there?"

"That's his medication. I have to keep that with me."

"In case he got sick on the plane or at the ranch," he said with a nod.

"Right," she said when Nathan and Will entered the room and she looked at them. "Is everything ok?"

"Everything's fine," Nathan said. He had taken Will to get checked to see if he was well enough to travel and Will gave her a small grin.

"Ready to go?" Will asked.

"Just finishing up," she said as she closed the suitcase and placed the suitcase next to the other suitcase. She held the small travel kit in her left hand as Alec got off the bed and walked to the wheelchair. He got onto Will's lap as Louisa and Nathan picked up the suitcases and they left the room.

_California - the Four Winds Ranch_

The doors hissed open as Louisa followed the wheelchair and they headed for the reception desk. One of the ranch hands pushed the luggage cart as he followed them and Will admitted he liked the rustic look of the lobby.

"Howdy," the blonde hair woman behind the desk said as she smiled.

"Hello. We're William and Louisa Clark," Louisa said and the woman typed on the keyboard as she looked at the screen.

"Oh, yes," she said when she looked at them then turned to get their room key. "I hope you enjoy your visit."

"Thank you," Will said as Louisa took the room key and told the ranch hand which room they were staying in. Will moved the joystick with his finger as he followed them and smiled at a little boy who was sitting in a wheelchair. The boy smiled back at Will when thoughts of Alec filled Will's head and, though he couldn't feel it, his stomach felt a little tight.

A short time later, the ranch hand opened the door to the room as Louisa watched Will steer the wheelchair to the large window and she gave the ranch hand a tip. The ranch hand nodded then left the room while he closed the door behind him and Louisa walked to Will.

"Don't you like the room?" Louisa asked, placing her hand on his right shoulder.

"No, I hate it," he said and she saw the corner of his mouth curl up.

"I wish he was here, too. Maybe next year."

"Yeah," he said with barely a nod of his head and she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Look at that view."

"It's amazing," she said as she walked behind the wheelchair and slid her arms around him and hugged his upper chest.

"So….," he said while she let go then he flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair to face her. "What do we do first?"

"First, we unpack and you need to take a kip," she said, poking him in the chest with her finger and he frowned.

"I'm not sleepy."

"Will…," she said with a stern tone and he softly laughed.

"Fine," he said as she went to get the suitcases and he followed her into the main bedroom.

After a delicious dinner, Will and Louisa headed outside and headed down the path. She had placed some mosquito spray on Will and herself to prevent them from getting bitten and she loved nice he looked in the blue linen shirt which was open enough to show his collarbones, jeans, black leather belt and black loafers. He was slightly upset he couldn't wear a pair of brown leather cowboy boots Louisa had found in a trunk in the attic, but she did find his tan cowboy hat.

"Look at that sky, Clark," he said suddenly as she looked up and saw the stars spreading out around them. He had stopped the wheelchair as she moved the back of the wheelchair so he could get a better look and she took the cowboy hat off of his head. She smoothed his hair down after placing the cowboy hat on her head and he smiled up at her. "Looks better on you."

Smiling, she placed her hand on his left shoulder while they looked at the stars and she noticed a look in his eyes. He seemed focused on the stars with a look of wonder and she wasn't sure what to do.

"Where are you?" she finally asked and he glanced at her.

"I'm right here… Spending a relaxing evening looking up at the stars with my lovely wife and best friend," he said and the butterflies in her stomach did a few flips.

"Will…."

"No," he said with barely a shake of his head. "Clark, if we had done this last year, it would have been so different. I would have been looking at this sky for the first and last time. Instead, I get to share this with you and, hopefully, next year we can do it again with Alec."

She carefully moved the back of the wheelchair so he was sitting up when she sat on his lap, slid her arm around his shoulders and leaned her head against his while they looked at the stars.

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, Louisa and Will headed down the path toward the paddock and Will noticed several people riding horses. Some of them were sitting in special saddles and the horses were being led by a ranch hand. He wondered how they were going to get him onto the horse as he sighed and moved the joystick with his finger.

"Howdy," the ranch hand said with a grin as Louisa smiled and he looked at Will. "Ready to ride?"

"Yes, but how are you going to get me on a horse?" Will asked.

"We use a lift chair," he said and Will looked at the lift chair sitting on top of a ramp. "Before we do that, you need to pick a horse."

He led them over to the other paddock as Will looked at the horses when he looked at a chestnut brown mare and smiled.

"What about that one?" he asked and the ranch hand looked at the mare.

"This is Daisy. She is a two years old mare and has a sweet temper as well as a gentle nature."

"Hey Daisy," Will said as he moved the wheelchair closer and Daisy looked at him. She flickered her ears as she lowered her head and Louisa helped Will patted Daisy's nose. Louisa used hand sanitizer to clean Will's hand when he turned the wheelchair to face the ranch hand and glanced at Daisy. "I want to ride this one."

"Then we'll get her saddled up," he said and they watched the ranch hand open the paddock gate and led Daisy out of the paddock. He closed the gate then led her to the riding paddock and Will and Louisa watched them place a special saddle on Daisy's back. Will flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair headed for the ramp and he looked at the lift chair. He flicked the joystick again as the wheelchair went up the ramp and the female ranch hand smiled at him.

"Howdy, Cowboy," she said and dimples dented her cheeks.

"Howdy," Will said.

"What's your name?"

"Will."

"Well then, Will, are you ready to ride?"

"Yeah," he said and she set the breaks on the wheelchair. Louisa was using the digital video camera she had brought with her to film everything as she watched them carefully placing Will in the lift chair and the lift chair moved up and over Daisy. They carefully got Will in the saddle as they made sure he was comfortable and looped the end of the reins over his right index finger and thumb. After he was secure in the saddle, the ranch hand used the other reins to lead Daisy away from the platform and Will could just feel Daisy moving. He glanced over at Louisa while a smile spread across his face and she smiled back.

"How're you doing?" the ranch hand asked as he looked back at Will.

"So far, so good," Will said.

"Want to keep going?"

"Sure."

Will and Daisy went around the paddock three more times then they returned to the platform and they helped him get back in the wheelchair. Will flicked the joystick with his finger when he steered the wheelchair to Louisa then stopped and she removed his cowboy hat, placed the hat on his lap and leaned over to kiss his lips. They went forehead to forehead as they smiled at each other and she gently moved some hair behind his left ear.

The door opened as the bellhop led them into the room and he placed the suitcases near the bed. Will steered the wheelchair toward the large window as Louisa gave the bellhop a tip and the bellhop left the room, closing the door behind him. She looked at Will when she folded her arms over her stomach and sighed.

"I'm fine," Will said. Louisa walked to the wheelchair when she placed her arms around his upper chest and he leaned his head against her head.

"Talk to me," Louisa said.

"I guess I'm concerned with you missing so many classes. It's been two weeks," Will said.

"I brought my laptop and I have been doing my homework while you were sleeping."

"Did you miss any lectures?"

"No."

"I miss Alec."

"Me, too. But we have been video chatting with him every night," she said and he glanced at her. She kissed the side of his head when she went to unpack and he turned the wheelchair to face her.

"Clark?"

"Yeah?" she asked, turning around to look at him.

"Come here," he said and she walked to the wheelchair and carefully sat on his lap. She saw a look in his eyes as he arched his eyebrows up and she got up. He watched her remove the medical equipment and the small travel kit and removed the medication they need to be intimate. He flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair headed for the bed and he stopped the wheelchair near the bed. The look on his face made the butterflies flutter in her stomach and she brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"Are you sure?" she asked and he barely nodded his head. A few minutes later, Louisa had given him the medication after putting him to bed and he made a soft sigh as she moved her fingers along his collarbones then up his neck.

"Louisa."

"Yeah?" she asked and was surprised he didn't call her "Clark".

"Now," he said and she nodded, kissing his lips.

Louisa had rented a special wheelchair for their trip to the beach and Will admitted he liked the view. The large rocks rose out of the sand while the waves crashed white foam against the rocks and the gulls flew over the top of the rocks.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Louisa asked as he glanced at her then looked back at the rocks.

"If I could, I would be climbing up those rocks," he said and she slid her arms around his shoulder after walking behind the wheelchair.

"And I would be standing there worrying about you falling off and breaking something," she said and he softly laughed.

"I would be a wreck if it was Alec climbing them."

"He would _not_ be doing that!"

"Are you turning into one of those overprotective mothers, Clark?"

"No," she said as she elongated the "o" then sighed. "Ok, maybe I am."

Will smiled then made a soft moan and she gently stroked his neck. His skin was warm, but no too warm and he barely turned his head to look at her.

"Are you getting tired?"

"Yes," he said with a small nod.

"Then we better go back," she said. He felt a little guilty about calling their visit short, but the thought of coming back with Alec someday caused him to smile. He fell asleep shortly before they had gotten back to the hotel and Louisa snuggled next to him after getting him on the bed.

_24 June_

Will's eyes opened as he looked at the blurry ceiling and blinked his eyes a few times.

"Morning," Louisa said when she sat on the bed next to him and Will smiled at her.

"Morning," he said with a sleepy tone and she brushed the hair from his eyes. He hadn't let her shave him the whole time they were on holiday and she liked how rugged he looked.

"So, seeing how this is our last day, I have something special planned," she said and he wondered what she was talking about.

"What are you up to?!" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"This was something I had planned for you last year. I'm just not sure if you're going to like it."

"Now you got me curious."

"Then I better get you up and dressed," she said as she got up and he frowned, trying to figure out what she was up to.

The van stopped near the entrance of a small airfield and Will could just see the sign. Angel Wings Skydiving was painted in bright blue lettering with a cartoon angel wearing aviator goggles, a helmet and a parachute was strapped to its back and its wings spread out in an arch.

Louisa got out of the van when she moved to the back of the van and opened the doors. She looked at Will when he glanced at her and she saw the smile on his face. She released the breaks as she got out of the van and he steered the wheelchair to the small lift. The small lift lowered the wheelchair as he flicked the joystick with his finger and the wheelchair moved. Louisa closed and locked the doors after the small lift went back into the van and she followed Will as he headed for the tall man standing near the main building.

"Hi. Are you Will and Louisa Traynor?" he asked.

"Yes," Louisa said.

"Well, I'm Greg. Greg Wilkes," he said and looked at Will. "Ready to catch some sky?"

"Uh…," Will said then paused. The last time he had gone skydiving was the year before his accident and the idea of doing it now made him feel a little frightened. "How are we going to do this?"

"We'll be doing it tandem style."

"You're going to strap me to someone and we're going to jump out of the plane?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod. "No need to worry. We have highly trained divers, so you'll be perfectly safe."

Louisa began to think Will hated the idea as she started chewing on her fingernail and Will turned the wheelchair around to face her.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," she said and Will arched his eyebrows up.

"Are you kidding me?!" he asked with wide eyes then turned the wheelchair around to face Greg. "Let's go."

Nodding, Greg led them to the main building where he explained to Will and Louisa what they were going to do and Louisa filmed the talk as well as them getting Will on the plane. Greg told him there was a small camera on the helmet Will was wearing and Will gave her a grin as the door closed.

The soft hum of the engines relaxed Will as he watched Greg and the skydiver who was going to take Will with him get ready and Will sighed.

"Ok, Mister Traynor…," Mark said.

"Will," he said and Mark smiled.

"Ok, Will, are you ready?" Mark asked.

"Yep!"

They helped Will get strapped to Mark as his legs were strapped to Mark's legs and Will looked at the door. Greg opened the door as the wind blew through his hair and Mark headed for the door. Will was grateful the suit he was wearing was insolated from the cold as he heard the roar of the wind and he blinked. With a nod, Greg stood back as Mark and Will left the plane and Will's eyes went wide.

"Wooooooooooo-oooooooooop!" Will said as Mark laughed and Will looked at the view. The ground spread out around him as he wanted to place his arms out and they moved in a slow circle.

"Great, isn't it?!" Mark said over the radio in the helmet.

"You have no idea!"

"Sounds like this isn't your first time doing this!"

"No, I used to do this tons of times before my accident!" Will said then paused. "Uh, we can't do a flip, can we?!"

"Sorry! No!"

"Spoilsport!" he said then they laughed. He knew Mark was counted down for the best time to pull the ripcord when Mark pulled on the ripcord and the parachute slowly spread out over their heads. Will admitted he could barely feel the small tug as they changed position, but nothing hurt and he could just see the edge of the parachute.

"Everything ok?!" Mark asked.

"Yeah!" he said with a small nod and looked at the view. The ground slowly grew closer and closer as they floated downward and he saw Louisa waving at him. She had been filming as she let go of the breath she had been holding and moved the camera as Mark and Will landed. Some of the staff helped get Will out of the harness they had used to strap him to Mark as Louisa brought over the wheelchair and she helped them get Will into the wheelchair. She removed the helmet he was wearing as she brushed back his hair and Will laughed. "That was amazing!"

"Glad you liked it," she said as she leaned closer and kissed his lips.

"Thank you, Clark," he whispered after she moved back and she nodded, placing her forehead against his.

"We're home!" Will announced after the door opened and Alec ran out of his bedroom. He ran to the wheelchair while Louisa closed the door and he climbed onto Will's lap, hugging him.

"Do I get a hug?" Louisa asked and Alec held his arms up. She picked him up as she hugged him and Alec kissed her cheek. "Were you good for Lady and Sir?"

"Yeah!" Alec said and Will noticed something was different.

"Where is Lady?" Will asked while Louisa placed Alec on his lap and Alec looked up at him.

"Right here," Camilla said. Camilla and Nathan walked in the room when Camilla walked to the wheelchair and hugged Will.

"Mother, what is going on?" Will asked.

"Come and see," she said as they followed her down the hallway and Will noticed there were two new doorways. The doors were closed with red ribbons taped across the doorways and Will blinked. Camilla removed the first ribbon as she opened the door and Will saw the room was decorated in Nathan's old bedroom furniture.

"Looks like you got your room back," Will said, glancing at him.

"Yep," Nathan said.

They moved to the next door when Camilla looked at Louisa and Louisa gave her a confused look.

"Go on, Dear. Open the door," Camilla said.

Louisa removed the ribbon then opened the door and her eyes widened. Shelves with plastic bins on them lined the wall to the left as the large window at the back of the room let in the sunlight and a large drawing table was to the right. A wooden stool was in front of the drawing table and a movable light was hooked to the top of the drawing table. There was also a desk with a computer, monitor, mousepad and mouse and a frame with a photo of Will, Louisa and Alec on top and the desk chair was in front of the desk. Two bookcases were to the right of the door and the floor was a hard wood.

"What…?!" Louisa asked while she walked in the room and Will followed her.

"I did tell you I was going to make you a work room," Will said and she looked at him.

"I know, but, with everything going on, I thought you forgot."

"I had," he said while turning the wheelchair to look at his mother. "You did this, didn't you?"

"Of course," Camilla said with a smug look.

"How could you do all this in three weeks?"

"I know some very good contractors," she said with a grin and Louisa walked to her. Camilla saw the tears in Louisa's eyes when she frowned then gasped when Louisa hugged her. "I take it you like it?"

"Yes," Louisa squeaked and Camilla wrapped her arms around her. They moved back as Camilla nodded then left the room.

"Want to help me get the suitcases unpacked, Little Mate?" Nathan asked and Alec nodded. Will followed them out of the room while Louisa looked around and saw the frames with family photos as well as photos of Will and Alec on the walls. She fought the urge to squeal with joy when she walked to the desk chair, sat down and carefully leaned back on the chair. Smiling, she placing her feet on the desk while she placed her hands behind her head and slightly moved the chair side to side.


	33. Chapter 33

_**A/N: Sorry, but Will gets sick again. Hope you don't mind Nathan and Devon's little sleepover.**_

Chapter Thirty-three

Louisa opened the door when she saw Devon, Archer and David McCann standing in front of her and Louisa felt her stomach dropping.

"Is William home?" David asked.

"Yes," Louisa said as she stood back to allow them to enter and David and Archer walked by her. Louisa looked at Devon while Devon shrugged and walked by her.

"Where is he?"

"He is in the den," she said and led them to the den. The door was opened as they walked inside and Will and Alec were watching the video of Will's skydiving adventure. "Will? Miss Sharpe, DI Archer and Mister McCann are here."

Will wondered why all three of them were there as he slowly blinked and glanced at Alec.

"End video and turn the computer off," Will said as the computer turned off and he flicked the joystick with his finger to turn the wheelchair around. He looked at them while Louisa walked to him and placed her hand on his right shoulder. "Hello."

"Hello," Devon said.

"Sorry to come here unannounced, Mister Traynor, but we need to speak with you" Archer said and Will glanced at him.

"You need to speak with me?" Will asked.

"Yes."

"Have a seat," he said and they went to sit on the couch. Flicking the joystick with his finger, he steered the wheelchair to the couch and Louisa followed him. He looked at David, Devon and Archer when he sighed and Alec leaned back against his papa's chest.

'Mister Traynor…," Devon started then paused for a few seconds. Will knew she couldn't call him "Will" without causing suspicion and he noticed the same Ice Queen look she had on her face the first day they met. "You know the case against Alicia Dewar and her parents is starting in the next few days…"

"Yes, I know."

"Have you received a summons to appear in court?" Archer asked.

"Hold on," Louisa said as she walked to the desk and checked the mail siting on the desk. She found the summons when she picked up the envelope and walked back to the wheelchair. "Here it is."

"Open it," Will said and she opened the envelope and removed the summons. She held the summons for him as he read the information and a frown moved across his face. "Are they serious!?"

"Yes, they are very serious," Devon said.

"They want me to be a character witness for the _defense_!?"

"Yes," Archer said.

"They want me to sit there and tell them Alicia was a wonderful girlfriend and she would never hurt a child?"

"I am afraid so," Devon said. Will looked at them when he flicked the joystick with his finger to back the wheelchair up then he steered the wheelchair out of the room and they looked at Louisa.

"I'll go talk to him," Louisa said as she left the room and saw Will heading for the sunroom. She watched him park the wheelchair as he and Alec looked at the castle and Louisa slowly closed the sliding doors. He hadn't used the sunroom in a long time as she thought back to the days he would just sit there and not speak to her and she tried hard not to chew her nails. "Will…"

"Not now, Clark," Will said in a soft voice and she walked closer. She knelt down next to the wheelchair as she looked at Alec and he had the same angry look on his face. She watched the muscles in Will's jaw twitch when he glanced at her and she placed her hand on top of his left hand. "I can't do it."

"I'm not asking you to."

"The problem is if I don't go to court…," he said and she looked at Alec.

"Yeah, but isn't there some way around it?"

"I am not going to lie."

"What if this was a client you really didn't like and you had to find a way to make the deal? How would you go about it?" she asked and he became silent for a few minutes.

"I would make a battle plan to assure the deal works for both of us," he finally said.

"But you wouldn't just give up?"

"That's not in my nature. Once I make up my mind, I never change it or give up," he said then paused when he thought about not going to Dignitas and Louisa arched up her eyebrows with a humorous look on her face.

"Then let's go back in that room and figure out a battle plan."

"You sound just like my mother."

"She's a good teacher," Louisa said as she stood up and he flicked the joystick with his finger to back the wheelchair up. She opened the sliding doors when they left the room and headed back to the den. Will had a serious look on his face as Archer, Devon and David looked at them and Will parked the wheelchair near the couch.

"Is everything alright?" Devon asked.

"It depends," Will said as he gave them a hard stare. "What are my options? I know what will happen if I do not agree to appear in court, but I will not testify for the defense."

"I can see if I can get you take off the witness list due to your…condition," David said.

"As I told my mother, my body maybe paralyzed, but my mind isn't."

"And I don't think she would like you using that as an excuse," Louisa said.

"No, she wouldn't."

"So, if the prosecution were to ask you to describe Alicia Dewar, how you would answer the question?" Archer asked.

"I would say she's complicated."

"Give us an example."

"I would say there were times when she would hug me then there were times when she would throw something at me."

"She threw things at you?!" Louisa asked with a shocked look on her face.

"You know those wooden balls on the coffee table?" he asked and she nodded. "One time, after I accidentally bumped her arm and she spilt wine on her outfit, she picked them up and tossed them at me. I was lucky she was a lousy throw or she would have beaned me with one."

"When was this?" Archer asked.

"It was two weeks after we had moved in together."

"Why didn't you break things off with her?" Louisa asked.

"I thought about it. But, that night….," Will said then glanced at Alec. "We made up."

"Has she ever been abusive to a child?" Archer asked.

"The Christmas before my accident, she pushed a kid down just because he was asking for donations for charity."

"That wasn't nice," Alec said.

"You're right, Buddy, it wasn't."

"Tell them the reason why you broke up when she was pregnant with Alec," Louisa said.

"I was attending what is called a fishing party. It's a dinner party where agencies like mine go and, hopefully, talk clients into signing up with the agency. My employer wanted me to convince a high-profile client into signing with the agency and I spent most of the night trying to get to talk with him. When I finally was able to get a chance to speak with him, he was with Alicia. I could tell he was drunk, but he was also angry."

"Why was he angry?" Archer asked.

"He had been…," Will said as he paused and looked at Alec. "He was being a little too nice with her and Alicia hurt him."

"She hurt him?" Alec asked and Will barely nodded his head.

"He was so angry that he told my employer to fire me. Lucky for me, my employer calmed him down, but the client refused to sign with the agency."

"What happened when you got home?" Devon asked.

"I told her we were over and she left."

"But she didn't tell you she was pregnant," Louisa said.

"No, she didn't. And I have a feeling she wouldn't have."

"How would she have hidden the fact she was pregnant?" Archer asked.

"She did take long holidays and business trips."

"Long enough to hid a baby bump," Devon said.

"How did she react to your accident?" Archer asked.

"I had been in a coma for nearly two months after the accident," Will started then paused. "A few days after I woke up, she came to visit me and complained how me being in the hospital was interfering with her schedule."

"She did!?" Louisa asked and he barely nodded his head. "You nearly died!"

"She didn't care, Clark," he said and she snorted a breath of air.

"What happened next?" Archer asked.

"She started ordering the nursing staff around. She even asked me if my condition was permanent."

"Were you the one who broke things off with her?"

"Yes," he said with a small nod.

"How did she react to that?" Devon asked.

"Oddly enough, she laughed," he said and Louisa felt her heart speeding up from anger.

"Nice," Archer sighed.

"No wonder they want you for the defense," Devon said. "If you agree, they would coach you not to say any of this."

"Which is why I think it would be a good idea to get William off the list," David said and Archer looked at him with a puzzled look. The whole time they were talking, David hadn't said a word and Archer titled his head to one side.

"Why are you so insistent about him not testifying?" Archer asked.

"I am just concerned."

"Are you concerned about him or what he has to say?"

"What are you implying?"

"Yes, what are you implying?" Will asked.

"I just think it's odd Mister McCann was alright with Alec talking to me after he had his nightmare, but, now, he doesn't want you to say anything," Archer said and slightly arched up his eyebrows.

"Yes, that is odd," Devon said, giving David a cold look.

"If you remember," David said while getting defensive. "Mister Traynor's mother insisted I represent Alec during the questioning or whatever he told you would not have been admissible in court."

"What does that mean?" Alec asked as he looked up at Will.

"It means what you said wouldn't be used in court," Will said.

"Oh," he said as he elongated the "o".

"As for Mister Traynor," David continued as he sat up straighter. "I have known him since he was a baby and I only have his best interest at heart."

Archer became silent as he looked from Will to David and something about David sounded alarm bells in his head.

"Excuse me for a minute," Archer said as he got up and left the room.

"I cannot believe he is questioning my motives," David said as he frowned and Will glanced at Louisa. Louisa noticed the look in Wil's eyes as he made a small sigh and Alec sat up a little straighter.

"Is he alright?" Devon asked.

"I'm just tired," Will said and she stood up.

"Then we'll be going," she said as she gave David a stern look and David stood up. Louisa led them out of the room while Alec looked up at Will and Will arched his eyebrows up.

"What's wrong?" Alec asked.

"I'm not sure, but I have a feeling someone's in big trouble," Will said, flicking the joystick with his finger and they left the room.

Timothy Dewar read the paper while the fire crackled in the fireplace and he turned the page. He heard a soft buzzing sound coming from his phone when he closed the paper and placed the paper on the floor. Picking up his phone, he pushed the button and looked at the text.

**I need your help.**

Timothy slowly blinked his eyes when he typed on the small keyboard then pushed the button.

**Where are you?**

**I'm in jai!**

**You are in jail?**

**Yes, and they figured out I am working for you.**

**How?**

**I have no idea.**

**That shouldn't have happened. Unless you forgot to do something.**

**No! I was careful!**

"Damn," Timothy whispered then typed on the small keypad.

**Are you sure?**

**Yes, but, somehow, he was able to get a warrant to check my finances, phone records and text messages.**

Timothy fought hard not to toss the phone across the room and he snorted a breath of air through his nose.

**Where are you?**

**I'm at the Ninth Precinct. Are you going to help me?**

**No.**

Timothy looked at the screen when a soft buzz came from the phone and he frowned.

"That was rude," Timothy said as he turned the phone off and placed the phone on the small table near the chair.

"I would say so," made him look over at the doorway as he watched Camilla walking closer and he stood up.

"Camilla, what are you doing here?!" he asked with a grin then frowned.

"You know full well why I am here," she said, folding her arms under her breasts.

"No, I don't. Is everything alright with William? I heard he was in the hospital."

"That was months ago."

"Oh," he said while walking to the bar near the fireplace and poured some brandy into a glass. "Would you like a drink?"

"No thank you," she said and he walked to the chair, sitting down.

"Why don't you sit down and tell me what this is all about."

"I will stand," she said and he nodded for her to continue. "You do know my solicitor, David McCann, don't you?"

"Yes, he's been your solicitor for years."

"He was my solicitor," she said with a small growl in her voice.

"Has something happened?" he asked while crossing his legs and pressing his fingertips together.

"He was arrested this afternoon."

"How terrible."

"Please, Timothy, let's stop playing games. You know damn well he was working for you."

"I beg your pardon? Why would your solicitor be working for me?" he asked, taking a sip of brandy.

"I know you. You hate to lose. Remember how hard you tried to stop me from marrying Steven?"

"And I was right, wasn't I? Steven was and is nothing more than a cad. I mean, what sort of man leaves his wife to tend for their disabled son to be with his mistress?"

"Steven has been there for William every damn day since his accident!" Camilla said and felt the bile rising in her throat. "Do you really think you could have been able to deal with his condition?!"

"Yes, I could. In fact, I would have done everything in my power to find treatments to help him move again."

"Do you think we didn't?!" she demanded then started pacing. Timothy watched his former lover when he noticed how much older she looked and he sipped on the brandy.

"You are right," he started then paused to place the glass on the small table. "I hate to lose. But I had nothing to do with your solicitor."

"You didn't bribe him into trying to get William to be a witness for the defense?" she asked as she stopped pacing.

"No, I did not."

"I see," Camilla said after she studied him for a few minutes then she headed for the door, turned and looked at him. "I warned you the day I sent you Alec's passport photo that you would lose if you or Alicia did anything. Now that you have, I will make _damn_ sure neither of you will ever see him again."

Timothy watched her leave the room when he stood up, picked up the glass, finished his drink then tossed the glass against the wall.

The room was dark while Devon looked out the window and folded her arms over her stomach. Sleep had eluded her as she sighed when she felt arms wrap around her and Nathan placed her chin on her shoulder.

"Can't sleep?" he whispered and she shook her head. "Want to tell me what's wrong?"

"Everything is wrong," Devon said as she turned to face him and he moved her closer. "It's funny. When the cases I'm involved with fall through, I just step back and do what I normally do. Testify in court and hope things turn out alright. There are times when they do and there are times when they don't. But this…? This is different."

"Different?"

"Yes," she said with a nod. "I have this feeling Mister Traynor…"

"Mister Traynor!? What happened to calling him "Will"?"

"I can't call him that now. Not if he's going to….," she said when someone knocked on the doorframe and they turned to see Louisa standing in the hallway.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked as Devon let go of him and Louisa looked down the hallway.

"Will's sick," Louisa said. They hurried out of the room when they headed into the main bedroom and Will was looking at the ceiling.

"What's going on, Mate?" Nathan asked as he went to take the medical equipment and medical file out of the drawer and placed them on the night table.

"I feel warm and it hurt when I…," Will said as he looked at Devon and went silent for a few second. "When I pee."

"Let's have a look," Nathan said as he moved the bedding back and lifted the bottom of the t-shirt Will was wearing. He placed on a pair of blue surgical gloves before he moved the covering over the catheter tube when he saw the redness around the base of the catheter tube and lowered the covering. "Oh boy."

"What's wrong?" Devon asked.

"It looks like Will might have a bladder infection and the skin around the catheter tube is red and swollen."

"Great," Will sighed, looking at the ceiling.

"I'll go call an ambulance," Louisa said as she left the room and Will glanced at Devon.

"This is just great," Devon sighed and crossed her arms under her breasts.

"Is there something wrong?" Will asked and she looked at Nathan.

"I'm going to wake up Alec," Nathan said, leaving the room and Devon frowned.

"That is his way of saying we need to talk in private."

"There is nothing to talk about," Devon said.

"Says the Ice Queen."

He didn't react to the cold look she was giving him when he arched his eyebrows up and she carefully sat down near his legs. He waited for her to say something when she sighed and placed her hand on his leg.

"Well?!"

"Mister Traynor…"

"Are we back to that!?"

"Are we? I understand if you feel that all of this is my fault…"

"No," Will said as he elongated the "o". "I do_ not_ feel that this is your fault. I get bladder infections and I was told I would need a new catheter tube. If you're talking about David McCann, that isn't your fault either. It's his."

"I should have checked."

"You're not DI Archer."

"No, I'm not, but…"

"You remind me of Louisa. She takes full responsibility for any and everything that goes wrong where I'm concerned. So, do me a favor and just relax. I am not angry at you. Louisa isn't angry at you. Alec isn't angry at you. My parents aren't angry with you. Finally, l know _damn_ well Nathan isn't angry at you."

"I'm angry at me."

"Yep, you're just like her," he said as Devon laughed.

"The ambulance is here," Louisa said a few minutes later while Nathan appeared in the doorway and he held Alec in his arms.

"Ready to go to the hospital, Buddy?" Will asked.

"Yeah. Do you think they'll let me push the button for the siren again?" Alec asked.

"We won't need the siren, but you can ask if you turn the lights on," Louisa said then got out of the way so the EMTs could go in the room and Will sighed, looking at the ceiling.

Doctor Catherine Day walked into the family waiting room when she looked at Steven, Camilla, Nathan, Alec, Louisa and Devon as she held the chart against her chest and saw the worried look on their faces. She had been called to aide in taking care of Will and Camilla got up, walking to her.

"Doctor, how is my son?" she asked.

"Mister Traynor does have a mild bladder infection and is responding to antibiotics, but…," Catherine said.

"He is going to need a new catheter tube?" Nathan asked.

"Yes, though we will have to wait until the infection is gone before we can schedule the surgery."

"Can we go see him?" Alec asked.

"No, he's sleeping, but I will call when he wakes up," she said and Alec nodded. Catherine left the room as Devon sat back against the couch and sighed.

"Miss Sharpe?" Camilla asked and she looked at Camilla. "Is there something wrong?"

"I'm just concerned with how Mister Traynor's illness will affect the trail," Devon said.

"Do not worry about that," Camilla said as she headed out of the room and Steven followed her. She turned to look at them and Louisa saw a hint of a smile. "Now, I suggest we go home. I mean _all _of us!"

"Why did she say that?" Alec asked, looking at Louisa as she picked him up.

"I think Lady knows Miss Devon was sleeping over at our house," Louisa said and Nathan smiled, placing his arm around Devon.

"Oh," Alec said, elongating the "o" and they left the room.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-four

Devon sat at her desk as she read Alec' file and placed the side of her head in her hand. Having to tell Louisa about Will being taken off the witness list caused a knot in her stomach as she sighed then looked up when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Devon said. The door opened when Camilla walked in the room and closed the door behind her. "Milady, is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes, there is," Camilla said and Devon pointed with her hand for her to sit down. Camilla sat down when she placed her hands in her lap and Devon sat up a little straighter.

"If it's about the trail, I know you son wanted to testify…"

"No, William being taken off the witness list isn't why I am here."

"Then why are you here?"

"I wish to know if you being involved with his primary caregiver is a ruse," she said and Devon felt like she had been punched in the stomach.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked with a stunned look.

"I find it odd that the two of you suddenly have become a couple. How did this happen?"

"No offense, but that is none of your business."

"When it comes to my son's health and well-being, it most certainly _is_ my business. Do you have any idea how many caregivers I went through before finding Nathan?"

"Quite a few, if I know your son," she said and tried hard not to smile.

"You are correct. Nathan isn't just a caregiver. He is my son's friend. His best friend. And, even though I am glad Nathan has found someone, it's just…"

"You're surprised he would choose someone like me?"

"Now it is my turn to say no offense, but you do have…"

"I have a reputation of being an ice queen," Devon said with a nod.

"So, again, how did this happen?"

"Your guess is good as mine. I never went into this in hope of finding a boyfriend. Believe me. I just wanted to see if your son was Alec' father or not," she said and sat back in the chair. Camilla looked at her as she studied Devon with her eyes and shifted her position in the chair.

"I believe you. I also hope you forgive me for my behavior. I was…"

"You were concerned about your son and Nathan."

"Yes, not that I think you would hurt either of them on purpose or Nathan would hurt you…," Camilla said and Devon nodded. They went silent for a few seconds when Camilla stood, headed for the door and opened the door. She turned to look at her when Camilla smiled and lightly shook her head. "So, about you and Nathan spending the night together at the annex…?"

"He has to sleep on the couch and I get the bed."

"Exactly!" Camilla said as they laughed then she left, closing the door behind her. Devon looked at the framed photo of her and Nathan while she shook her head then went back to reading Alec' file.

The sunlight caused his eyelids to turn a soft brown while Will sighed and slowly opened his eyes. He noticed the television was on and was playing Alec' favorite cartoon show. Will sighed as he blinked and made a small moan.

"Papa Bear?" Alec asked as he sat up and looked at him.

"Hello," Will said with a sleepy tone and smiled.

"Mama, he's awake!"

Will watched Louisa walk out of the bathroom as she walked to the bed and she smiled at him.

"Hi," Louisa said when she leaned over and kissed Will's lips.

"How long have I been asleep?" Will asked.

"It's been two days."

"Sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"I'm just sorry."

"There's no need to be."

"Yeah, it's not like last time," Alec said then settled down next to Will and placed his head against Will's chest.

"You're right, Buddy. It's not like last time," Will said while Louisa placed Will's arm around Alec and he glanced up at her. "I just…"

"You just hate it when you get sick because it interrupts things. But there wasn't anything to interrupt. Alec went to school and I only missed one lecture. Which, by the way, I can make up," Louisa said and he arched his eyebrows up while his eyes widened.

"Meaning I am being an idiot again."

"Nuh-unh," Alec said with a shake of his head and Will looked at the cartoon.

"Devon called and told me you don't have to testify," Louisa said.

"I want to," Will said.

"I know, but….," she said as the door opened and Doctor Day entered the room.

"Good afternoon," Catherine said as she headed for the foot of the bed and removed the chart from the holder.

"Good afternoon," Will said while Louisa lifted Alec off the bed and Catherine walked to the other side of the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Bored."

"Sorry. He just woke up," Louisa and he stuck his tongue out at her.

"That's fine," Catherine said as she started to examine Will and he looked at the cartoon. "Do you feel warm?"

"Not really," Will said. She checked his temperature as she wrote the information in the chart and Will glanced at her.

"Your temperature is almost normal," she said while moving the blankets back then looked at Louisa and Alec.

"He's seen it before," Louisa said in reference to the catheter tube and Catherine nodded. She moved the covering back as they looked at the catheter tube as Catherine looked at the red skin around the top of the catheter tube and her lips formed a thin line.

"Is it that bad?" Will asked, glancing at them.

"No, but we do need to put in a new tube," Catherine said.

"Which you can't do until my bladder infection is gone."

"Yes, but, luckily, you are responding very well to the antibiotics."

"Do you have any idea how long it will take until the infection is completely gone?"

"I think you'll be fine in a week or so."

"Then he can pee?" Alec asked.

"Yes," Catherine said and noticed Will was trying hard not to laugh as he made a small sigh. She placed the cover back as Louisa moved the blankets up and Catherine wrote the information in the chart. Catherine placed the chart back in the holder as she looked at Will and blinked. "Is there anything you wish to ask me?"

"No, I've had this surgery before," Will said and she nodded, heading for the door. They watched her leave as the door closed and Louisa noticed a familiar look in Will's eyes. She knew he was starting to shut down and he looked up at the ceiling. "I'm fine, Clark."

"No, you're not," Louisa said.

"You will be once you can pee again," Alec said. Louisa knew Will wanted to laugh as she gently pushed down then up on his abdomen and Alec shrugged after they started laughing.

The infection faded several days later as Louisa watched the nurse examine Will and he had a goofy look on his face from the medication they gave him.

"Clark?" he asked as the room faded in and out of focus.

"I'm right here," Louisa said while taking his right hand and his thumb rubbed against the side of her index finger.

"I'm scared," he said in soft voice and she gently kissed his lips.

"You're going to be fine."

"What if…?"

She hushed him as Will's eyelids started lowering and she carded the top of his head.

"Where's Alec?"

"He's in the waiting room with your mom and dad."

"Tell me something good."

"Like what?"

"Anything."

"Do you know that big exam I had last week?"

"Yeah."

"I aced it," she said and he gave her a sleepy grin.

"Knew it," he said with a sigh. The interns entered the room when they walked to the bed and Louisa got out of the way. She watched them move the bed out of the room while Will frowned and moved his eyes, trying to find her. "Clark?!"

Louisa ran to the bed as they headed down the hallway and he glanced up at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, taking his left hand and wrapped their fingers together.

"I think I have to pee."

"Now?!"

"Yeah," he said and the interns cleared their throats.

"It's just nerves. Try not to think about it."

"Ok," he said as she leaned over to kiss his lips and deep dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled. She watched them go into the lift as the doors started to close and she saw Will sighing. "I'm still thinking about it."

She softly laughed after the door closed then she walking down the hallway toward the waiting room.

Catherine walked into the operating theater as she looked at Will lying on the operating table and she walked closer. He was hooked up to a heart monitor while the head of the operating table was raised enough so he wouldn't have trouble breathing and he gave her a sleepy smile.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah. Just promise me you won't take out anything I need," Will teased and she softly laughed.

"I promise," she said and Will could just see the oxygen mask being placed over his nose and mouth then he drifted off to sleep.

Will didn't know where he was until he heard the sound of steel drums and could smell the salty air. Looking down, he saw he was wearing his black bathing trunks and was standing. Smiling, he flexed his fingers while the cool water moved over his feet and he wiggled his toes.

"Will," made him turn around as he looked at Louisa with her hair floating gently over her shoulders and she was wearing a pink bikini with white polka dots and he felt his heart thumping in his chest.

"Wow," he said with a cat-like tone as she walked closer and slid her arms around his waist. He enjoyed having to look down at her instead of looking up as he moved closer and kissed her lips. He felt her hands moving up and down his back as he moved back and she placed her head against his chest. "I love you…"

"Did he say something?" Catherine asked as she glanced at the anesthesiologist and he looked at Will.

"I think he said "cluck"," he said then noticed the smile on Will's face. "Well, whatever he's dreaming about must be good."

"Must be," Catherine said as she went back to what she was doing and smiled underneath her surgical mask.

Louisa sat on the green vinyl couch as she read the book that she had brought with her and Alec was sleeping next to her with his head on her lap. Camilla was standing near the window while Steven was reading the book that he had brought with him then he glanced at Louisa and he gave her a small smile. Nathan was sitting next to her as he looked at the news on the television and she noticed the look on his face.

"What's wrong?" she whispered.

"They are talking about the trial," Nathan said.

"Is Miss Sharpe there?" Steven asked.

"Yeah. She said she'd call me later and tell me what's going on."

"I still can't believe Alicia or her father were able to convince David to go to their side," Steven said with a sigh.

"I never knew he was so easily bought." Camilla said as she walked to the chair and sat next to Steven. He placed his hand on top of hers and she wrapped their fingers together.

"Is he going to see any jail time?" Louisa asked.

"Yes, he is."

The room became silent except for the sound of the television when Catherine appeared in the doorway and Camilla looked at her.

"Hello," Catherine said and Camilla and Steven stood up.

"Doctor, is William alright?" Steven asked.

"Yes, he's fine. The operation went well, but there was only one little problem."

"What sort of problem?" Camilla asked, fearing the worst.

"At one point, he said something in his sleep."

"He was talking in his sleep?"

"He does that sometimes," Louisa said.

"What did he say?" Nathan asked.

"I'm not sure, but it sounded like he said "cluck'."

Louisa thought for a few seconds while blinking her eyes when she smiled and shook her head.

"No, he was saying "Clark". That's his nickname for me," Louisa said.

"Oh, that would explain the smile. He was dreaming about you," Catherine said with a grin.

"Is he back in his room?" Steven asked.

"No, he's in Recovery. We want to watch him for a bit before we take him back to his room."

"Why?" Louisa asked.

"Just so we're sure he's breathing alright and is coming out of the anesthetic properly."

"They did that the last time he had surgery," Camilla said.

"Why don't you go home? I'll have someone call you when he wakes up."

"I would like to stay," Louisa said and Catherine nodded. Louisa walked to the couch when she picked up Alec and Alec sighed, slightly opening his eyes.

"What's going on?" Alec asked with a sleepy voice.

"Papa Bear had his surgery," Louisa said.

"Is he ok?"

"He's fine, but he's still asleep."

"Are we going home?"

"You are going home with Lady and Sir and I'm going to stay here for a bit."

"Ok," he said then closed his eyes, going back to sleep. Camilla smiled as she took Alec from her then they left the room and Louisa looked at Catherine.

"Is he really alright?" she asked and Catherine saw the concern in her eyes.

"Yes, he's fine," she said then left the room and Louisa looked at the television. The newscaster was repeating the story about the trial as she looked at the photo of Alicia then balled her hands into fists.

The butler led the way while Rupert noticed the new staff members and pushed his glasses up with his finger.

"What is going on? I see a lot of new members of staff," Rupert said and the butler glanced at him.

"Most of them were dismissed," the butler said.

"Why?"

"They were gossiping about Madam and how it was a relief that you and Master Alec aren't here anymore."

"Do you believe that?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss it."

"I am still your employer."

"I understand, but I do not wish to endanger my pension or my chance for further employment," the butler said. Nodding, Rupert watched him open the doors to the den as Rupert walked in the room and the butler closed the doors.

Alicia was standing near the fireplace as she sipped on some brandy then turned and looked at Rupert. He noticed how angry and tired she was, but he was surprised with how much older she looked.

"Hello, Alicia," he said and she slugged back the last of the brandy.

"What are you doing here!?" Alicia demanded as she placed the glass on the small table near the couch and walked to him.

"I just thought I come and see you."

"Oh really?!" she asked, giving Rupert a skeptical look.

Rupert walked around the room while she watched him and he noticed she had removed all photographs of him and Alec. He picked up the silver frame Will had given them as a wedding gift as he looked at the photograph of her and Will and blinked.

"Still holding onto hope, are you?" he asked, showing her the photo.

"Put that down!"

Rupert placed the frame down as he walked to her and he gave her a blank look.

"You're not going to win," he said.

"What makes you think so? I have done nothing wrong."

"You have done nothing wrong?"

"I just said that."

"Are you saying Alec hurt himself?"

"No, his nanny hurt him."

"I heard otherwise."

"Whoever you've been talking to is obviously lying."

"Yes, someone is."

Alicia glared at him as Rupert sighed and shook his head.

"None of this would have happened if_ you _hadn't insisted on a honeymoon," she said and he snorted a laugh.

"No, none of this would have happened if_ you_ had been honest with Will."

"There was no way in hell I was going to let him be involved with my son's life."

"Your _son_? I thought Alec was nothing more than your revenge against Will. That is why we're in this mess. You wanted revenge for him breaking things off with you over something which was_ clearly_ your fault."

"Get out!"

"I'm going," he said as he headed for the door and was surprised his chest wasn't hurting nor was his heart slamming in his chest. He stopped at the door when he placed his hand on the door handle and sighed. "Alicia, put down whatever you're going to toss at me. You're in enough trouble."

"Just go!" Alicia said, putting down the crystal vase she had in her hands and he opened the door.

"Remember this," he said as he turned to face her after he had opened the door. "Will and I were a formable team before his accident and I became your patsy. You mess with us again and you end up losing everything."

He slammed the door closed behind him after he left the room and smiled when he heard the sound of something crashing into the door. Placing his hands in his jeans pocket, Rupert whistled one of his favorite songs as he headed for the front door and left the house.

The soft beeping and clicking sounds woke him while Will softly sighed and made a small moan. He felt fingers moving through his hair while his eyes slowly opened and he blinked until his vision cleared.

"Hey," Louisa said.

"Hi," he said with a sleepy tone. Louisa gently kissed his lips then moved back and he gave her a pleased look. She pushed the nurse call button then took his left hand and wrapped their fingers together. "How long was I asleep?"

"It's been around twelve hours."

"Did I miss anything?" he teased and she laughed. The door opened when the nurse walked in the room and she headed for the bed. Louisa let go of Will's hand so the nurse could examine him and Will looked at the ceiling. After the nurse left the room, Louisa took his left hand and he arched his eyebrows up whiling looking at her. "Clark?"

"What?"

"Did I miss anything?"

"Well, Alec was assigned as the boy who handed out the milk and biscuits today at school."

"I bet he loved that."

"He did. His teacher gave him a gold star and he said he nearly has a full week of stars."

"Which means he gets a special dinner."

"Yep, but he doesn't want to have it until you get home."

He barely nodded his head as Louisa brushed the hair out of his eyes and Will looked at her with half-hooded eyes.

"I sort of remember you telling me something before they took me to surgery. What was it?" he asked.

"I aced that big exam I took last week," she said and dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled.

"Wow!" he said with a cat-like tone then went silent. She wondered if he was shutting down while he frowned and he pressed his lips into a thin line. "Did I say something about having to pee?"

"Yes, you did," she said with a grin and she ran her thumb over his knuckles. "And Doctor Day said you were talking in your sleep during the surgery."

"I don't talk in my sleep, Clark," he said with a disgusted look.

"You do sometimes."

"What do I say?"

"Mostly "No.", "I don't want to." and "Please don't go.", but, recently, "I'm not going to let you."."

Will thought for a few minutes when he made a small sighed and half closed his eyes.

"The first three were from dreaming about my accident or dreams about losing you. The last one was from dreaming about Alicia trying to take Alec from us," he said, softly. Louisa leaned down to kiss his lips as he sighed through his nose and she saw the truth in his eyes after she moved back. "What did I say this time?"

"You said "cluck"."

"Cluck?!"

"I think you meant to say "Clark"."

Will thought for a few minutes when he remembered his dream and smiled.

"You're right. See, I was dreaming we were on the beach in Mauritius. What was interesting was I was standing and I could feel the water moving over my toes as well as the sand under my feet. That was when you called my name and I turned around to see you in this pink bikini with white polka dots."

"I do have a bikini like that," she teased and he laughed. "Let me guess. I walked to you and we kissed."

"Yes."

"And you said "I love you, Clark."."

"Yes."

She leaned closer until they were nearly nose to nose and he saw the love in her eyes.

"I love you, too," she whispered and he smiled. He made a small moan while she watched his eyelids closing and she sat down on the chair, watching him drift back to sleep.


	35. Chapter 35

_**A/N: The trial begins. There will be mention of child abuse during the trial as well as some surprises. Sorry if this isn't accurate. I have only written one trial and that was for another story.**_

Chapter Thirty-five

The inside of his eyelids turned light brown as Will started waking up and he heard what sounded like one of Alec' favorite cartoons. His eyes slowly opened when he blinked and looked up at the telly.

"Hey Mate," Nathan said.

"Hi," Will said with a crack to his voice.

"Hi, Papa Bear," Alec said, sitting up.

"What are you doing here?"

"A pipe burst at his school," Nathan said.

"Yeah. Everything got wet," Alec said.

"Even you?!" Will asked with wide eyes and Alec giggled.

"No, it happened last night."

"Oh," he said, elongating the "o" then looked at Nathan. "Where's Louisa?"

"She and your mom went to London," Nathan said.

"Why?"

"Your friend, Rupert, is testifying today and your mom said she wanted to hear what he had to say."

Will nodded as he became quiet then looked at the cartoon, but a part of him wondered what Rupert was going to say.

Rupert walked down the hallway as he pushed his glasses up with his finger and glanced over at Stephen Kane. Stephen was the bodyguard his parents hired after someone tried to run the car he was riding in to a doctor's appointment off the road and Rupert admitted he felt safer having him around. Stephen was six three with a muscular build, short blonde hair and sharp blue eyes. Rupert noticed the smiles from the women in the hallway after they looked at Stephen and Stephen gave them a small nod. They walked around the corner when he saw Louisa and Camilla and Rupert wondered why they were at the courthouse.

"Louisa?!" Rupert said and she turned to look at him.

"Hello," Louisa said while he walked closer and he gave her a hug.

"What are you doing here?"

"She is with me." Camilla said with a cold look. Rupert saw the anger in her eyes as he sighed and lowered his head.

"Mrs. Traynor, I understand you have all right to be angry with me…"

"I am not angry as much as I am disappointed," she said then looked at Stephen. "Who is this?"

"This is Stephen Kane. He is my bodyguard."

"Hello," Stephen said with a nod.

"Why do you need a bodyguard?" Louisa asked.

"It was my parent's idea after someone tried to cause the car I was in off the road," he said. Louisa gasped while Camilla frowned and Rupert shrugged a shoulder.

"Sir, we need to go inside," Stephen said and Rupert nodded. Stephen held open the door as they entered the room and headed for the seats. Stephen stood at the end of the row as Rupert sat next to Louisa and she checked her phone for any texts from Nathan.

"How's Will?" Rupert asked.

"He's better," Louisa said with a nod. "He's going home on Monday."

"That's great! Mind if I come around for a visit?"

"He's like that," she said as Alicia, Timothy and Jane were led into the room and Camilla cleared her throat. The door opened as Judge Randall Marsh entered the room and Louisa noticed the stern look on his face. His white hair was brushed back and he had dark eyes, a round face and frown lines outlined his mouth. He sat down when he nodded and called the court to order.

"Call the next witness," Randall said.

"The court calls Rupert Freshwell to the stand," the bailiff said and Rupert stood. He walked down the aisle as he glanced over at Alicia and she glared at him. After he was sworn in, Rupert sat down and looked at the people sitting in the room.

Mark Jefferson, who was the Dewar family solicitor, gave him a stern looked while Rupert sat back in the chair and placed his hands in his lap. He knew Mark would do everything in his power to crucify him during questioning, but his confidence in the proof he had given the court would destroy anything he tossed at him.

Andrew Kincaid was prosecuting the case and he checked his notes before looking at Rupert then stood up. He walked closer when he looked at Rupert and gave him a small nod.

"Will you please tell the court your name?" Andrew asked.

"My name is Rupert Freashwell," Rupert said.

"Mister Freshwell, will you please tell the court how long you have known Miss Dewar?"

"I have known her for about seven or eight years."

"And how you would describe her?"

"How would I describe her?" he said with a smirk and crossed one leg over the other. "Well, when I first saw her, I thought she was amazing. She was beautiful. She was funny. She was loving. Then I saw the real Alicia."

"The real Alicia?"

"Yes. The real Alicia is a…"

"Objection!" Mark said while he stood after Alicia nudged him in the ribs and Randall looked at him.

"Sit down, Mister Jefferson," Randall said and Mark sat down.

"Mister Freshwell," Andrew said after clearing his throat and Rupert arched his eyebrows up. "Do you know of any time Miss Dewar has been violent?"

"Yes, I have," Rupert said and Andrew looked at Randall.

"Milord, I wish to submit evidence…"

"Objection!" Mark said as he looked at Andrew. "Milord, this is the first time I have heard of any evidence."

"You saw the evidence this morning," Andrew said as he glared at Mark and Camilla smiled.

"Well played, Andrew," she whispered. Andrew had been one of her junior solicitors and she knew he took his job very seriously.

"I will allow the evidence," Randall said while a screen lowered behind him and the screen went blank for a few seconds.

"Please tell the court when this was filmed," Andrew said and Rupert turned in the chair to look at the screen.

"This was two weeks after Alicia had moved in with my friend, William Traynor," Rupert said.

Louisa looked at Will smiling at the camera and he was wearing jeans, a white jumper, a light blue linen shirt and white trainers. Alicia was sitting next to him and she was wearing a white sundress and white leather sandals.

"_Mate, will you put that down?!"_ Will asked with a laugh, but the camera moved side to side_. "Knew I shouldn't have given you that for your birthday."_

"_Just making sure it works," _Rupert's voice said, causing Will to roll his eyes.

"_Come on. Give,"_ Will said while he started to stand up, but he bumped into Alicia's right arm and she gasped. The red wine in her glass splashed over his sundress as she stood and Will cupped his hands over his nose and mouth_. "I am so sorry!"_

"_Sorry?! Sorry?!"_ Alicia screeched and picked up a wooden ball. _"I'll show you sorry!"_

"_Come on, Alicia! Put that down!"_

"_Do you…? Have any…? Idea how….? Much this…? Dress cost?!" _she demanded while she threw the wooden balls at Will, but he was able to get out of the way. Growling, Alicia stormed out of the room when she slammed the door to the master bedroom and Will peeked out from behind the couch.

"She could have killed him." Camilla growled while Louisa nodded and placed her hand on top of Camilla's hand.

"Objection!" Mark said as he stood up and pointed his right hand at the screen. "Milord, how can we be sure this is real!? She was right in front of Mister Traynor. Surely, she would have hit him at some point."

"She's a lousy shot," Rupert said and Louisa covered her mouth with her hand. Laughter echoed around the room as Randall called for order and Mark glared at Rupert.

"The video has been authenticated, Mister Jefferson. I will allow it," Randall said with a nod to Andrew and Mark sat down.

"If it is alright, Milord, I would like to pause my questioning about Miss Dewar and speak to Mister Freashwell about his testimony in regards with Miss Victoria Collins," Andrew said.

"Proceed," Randall said with a nod and Andrew looked at Rupert.

"Mister Freshwell, you said in the report about what happened to Alec in the bathroom that you saw Miss Collins harm Alec and yet she told us the other day you came in the room afterwards. Which is correct?" Andrew asked and Rupert sighed. Rupert knew all charges against him had been dropped as he looked at Alicia and sat up a little straighter.

"If I'm to be honest, her version is correct," Rupert said and Alicia glared at him.

"Will you tell us what you saw when you walked in the bathroom?"

"I had gone upstairs to say goodnight to Alec. When I went in the bathroom, she had just undressed Alec and was lifting him up. When she turned to put him into the tub, Alec started crying. She placed Alec down then tested the water. That is when she started crying and held him. I asked what happened and Miss Collins told me she had made the water too hot. I asked if Alec was alright and she said he was. I checked and he was more scared then burned. She kept apologizing to me and to Alec. I told her it was alright and not to worry. The next morning, she asked if she was fired and I told her no. The problem was Alec didn't want to take any more baths."

"What did you do instead?"

"I told him baths are for babies and talked him into taking showers," he said and soft laughter filled the room.

"So that's where he got that from," Louisa said as she thought back to Alec telling them the same thing.

"But you did tell Miss Dewar what happened, didn't you?"

"Yes," Rupert said with a nod.

"So, if nothing happened, why did you agree to use Miss Collins as a scapegoat?"

"I had to."

"You had to?"

"Yes."

"Now, let's go back to my questions about Miss Dewar," Andrew said and Rupert nodded. "Why would you allow Miss Dewar and her parents to harm an innocent child?"

"That is a very good question," Rupert said as he paused and looked over at Alicia and her parents. He was silent for a few minutes when he sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "The only answer I have is fear."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I am and was afraid of losing everything. I am talking about my career, my life, but, most of all, Alec."

"Your _life_!? Do you honestly think your life is in danger?"

"You see, I have had police protection while I was under house arrest, in the hospital after my initial heart attack and before and after my surgery. I have my medications sent to me by a private pharmacy. I have my mail and parcels scanned to make sure they haven't been tampered with. Finally, I now have a bodyguard due to the car I was in recently nearly being driven off the road. So, to answer your question, yes, I do think my life is in danger."

People in the courtroom spoke in soft whispers while Louisa watched Rupert place his face in his hands and Camilla leaned back in the chair.

"Do you need a break?" Andrew asked and Rupert nodded.

"Court is in recess for the next fifteen minutes," Randall said as he got up and left the room. Stephen walked to Rupert as he looked at him and Rupert gave him a small smile.

"Are you alright, Sir?" Stephen asked.

"I could use a little water," Rupert said as Stephen poured some water from the pitcher near the witness box and Rupert opened the pillbox. He took some of his medication as he drank the water and handed Stephen the glass.

"I'll be right back," Louisa said, getting up and walked to Rupert. Stephen looked from her to Rupert and Rupert nodded. Louisa placed her hand on top of Rupert's hand and he gave her a small shrug.

"Sorry you had to see that," Rupert finally said.

"Will told us about the time she threw those wooden balls at him, but seeing the video…," Louisa said with a sigh.

Rupert went silent when he sat back in the chair and looked at the ceiling. He blinked his eyes a few times when he sat forward and held out his hand.

"May I borrow your phone?" he asked and she nodded, taking her phone out of her purse. He looked at the screen when he smiled at the photo of Will and Alec with wet hair and Alec was waving. "When was this taken?"

"It was before Will came down with pneumonia. Alec joined Will at his water therapy session," Louisa said, looking at the photo.

"I bet he loved that. Is it ok if I call Will?"

"Why?"

"I just need to talk with him."

"Go ahead," she said and he pushed the buttons. Holding the phone in his right hand, Rupert sat back when he gave her a small smile and she smiled back.

"Lou?!" Nathan's voice asked.

"No, this is Rupert Freshwell. Louisa's letting me use her phone. Is Will awake?" Rupert asked.

"Yeah, he is."

"I need to talk to him."

"Hang on."

"Hey, Rupe." Will's voice said a few seconds later.

"Hey."

"How's it going?"

"It's rough. I feel like I'm losing my nerve."

"Hang in there. We both know what's at stake if they get away with this."

"I know. That's what I want to talk to you about."

"Right. What do you want to do?"

"I want to go home," Rupert teased and they heard Will laugh then a giggle. "Alec?"

"Hi!" Alec' voice said.

"You taking good care of Papa Bear?"

"Yeah. Oh, Uncle Rupert, I got to hand out the milk and biscuits at school!"

"You did?!"

"Yeah, but one of the boys tried to trip me because he said it was his turn."

"What did the teacher do?"

"She made him say he was sorry and he had to sit in the corner."

"That's good."

"Uncle Rupert, is the Bad Lady making you sad again?"

"Yeah, she is."

"She needs to sit in the corner."

"You're right," he said with a small grin.

"Don't let her make you sad."

"I'm trying, but it's not easy."

"She's nothing, but a bully and a…"

"A what?"

"I can't say it. It's a bad word."

"And how did you learn that bad word?"

"I heard Auntie Treena say it."

"I am going to have to have some words with Auntie Treena," Louisa whispered and Rupert gave her an amused look.

"Did you say something, Clark?" Will's voice asked.

"I need to talk to Treena about saying bad words around Alec."

"Other Lady already did." Alec said. Louisa knew how Will felt about Alec not calling Josie or Camilla "Grandmother" or "Nan" and she sighed.

"I agree with Alec. Don't let Alicia or her solicitor bully you," Will said.

"I won't," Rupert said.

"Good luck. I have to go. There is a nurse here who wants to use me as a pincushion."

"No, she doesn't," Alec said with a giggle and Louisa could just picture Will sticking his tongue out and crossing his eyes.

"Both of you behave," Louisa said.

"Yes, Mama," they both said at the same time and Rupert gave her a slightly stunned look. He ended the call when he handed the phone back to Louisa and she placed the phone back in her purse.

"When did Alec start calling you "mama"?" he asked.

"It was right after Will came home from the hospital when he had pneumonia," Louisa said and he smiled.

"He never called Alicia that. He never called me "daddy" now that I think about."

Louisa saw the hurt look in his eyes as she squeezed his hand and he shrugged. He let go of her hand as she walked back to Camilla and sat down. Camilla looked at her then at Rupert and Louisa leaned back in the chair.

"Is he alright?" Camilla asked.

"He is now that he's talked to Alec and Will," Louisa said.

"I just hope this isn't becoming too much for him. William and Alec would be devastated if…"

"Yes," Louisa said as she nodded, looked at Rupert then at Alicia and she felt the butterflies in her stomach flying around in a whirlwind.

Court resumed as Mark walked to Rupert and Mark placed his hands behind his back.

"Mister Freshwell, do you understand what loyalty is?" Mark asked.

"Yes, I know what it is," Rupert said with a nod.

"And yet you are disloyal to the woman you love…"

"The woman I love?!" he said with a snort and shook his head.

"Don't you love her?"

"Yes, I did, but things change."

"I see," Mark said as he became silent and paced before turning to look at Rupert. "Tell me, why did you video the so-called attack on William Traynor?"

"It wasn't a so-called attack. She threw those balls at him."

"We have only your word for it. And, as we see, your word isn't trustworthy."

"Mister Jefferson, where are you going with this?" Randall asked.

"I am just saying, Milord, we can't be sure if he is telling us everything or not. This is why I wish to call Mister Traynor to the stand."

"Mister Traynor has been taken off the witness list due to ill health."

"Then I demand the evidence Mister Freshwell has shown the court be stricken from the record and Mister Freshwell's testimony be marked as inadmissible."

"Objection!" Andrew shouted as he stood up.

"Unless we hear Mister Traynor's testimony, I am going to petition for a mistrial."

"Milord…!"

"If you behaved like this in _my_ court, Mister Jefferson, I would have you removed and placed in prison for contempt!" Camilla said after she stood up and Mark turned to look at her.

"_Your_ court?!" Mark asked with wide eyes as she walked to him and his mouth fell open. "You… You are Her Right Honorable Judge Camilla Traynor."

"Yes, I am," Camilla said with a hiss to her voice. "I am also William Traynor's mother."

"Milady, do you think your son is well enough to testify?" Andrew asked.

"Seeing how his not being able to testify has been a ruse set up by the defense…"

"You have no proof of that!?" Mark said.

"Yes, we do," Andrew said and Mark glared at him.

"I will speak with his doctors and, if they agree, you can talk with my son." Camilla said, glancing at Mark.

"Mister Kincaid, do you have any more questions for Mister Freshwell?" Randall asked.

"No, Milord," Andrew said.

"Mister Jefferson?"

"Not at this time, Milord," Mark said with a shake of his head.

"Then I am calling for a recess and court will resume once we are contacted about Mister Traynor's ability to testify," Randall said as he stood and left the room. Camilla watched while Alicia, Jane and Timothy were escorted out of the room and Louisa walked to Camilla.

"Are you going to be able to get permission for Will to testify?" Louisa asked.

"Yes, it's not like this hasn't happened before. I even had three cases where the witness who had to testify did so while they were in the hospital," Camilla said as they headed for the doors and left the room. They headed down the hallway when Louisa saw Rupert and Stephen and he smiled at her.

"Hello," he said with a nod.

"Hello."

"Sorry about that."

"No, I was expecting something like this," Camilla said.

"Do you think you can find a way for Will to testify?"

"Yes, but I think it won't happen until tomorrow."

"Sorry, Sir, but we have to go," Stephen said and Rupert nodded. They watched them head down the hallway as Louisa frowned and Camilla saw the look in her eyes.

"That was odd," Louisa said.

"No, he's just concerned for Rupert's health and well being," Camilla said then looked at her watch. "We better leave so I can talk to William's doctors."

Louisa nodded as they headed down the hallway and the butterflies in her stomach made little flips.

The car moved down the street while Rupert looked out the window and watched the view going by. He had been swarmed by the press after he left the courthouse, but Stephen was able to get him away from them and into the car.

Rupert thought about his talk with Will and Alec as something moved through his mind and he blinked, pushing his glasses up with his finger.

"_You know this is the only alternative."_

"_Yes, I know. I just can't believe it's come to this."_

"_Please, Darling, for your own sake…"_

"_Mother, I can't do it. I've hurt enough people already."_

"_Please, Son, be reasonable."_

"_I'm not sure if I can live with myself if I do, Father."_

"_At least you'll be alive."_

Rupert sighed when he removed the phone from his suit jacket and looked at the screen. He brought up the text screen as he looked through the address menu and tapped on the screen. He opened the window when he sighed and typed on the keyboard.

**I've made up my mind. I'm going to do it.**

He waited after sending the text and a soft ping filled the air.

**Are you sure?**

**Yes.**

Rupert closed the text window when he looked at the screen then pushed the buttons. He held the phone up to his right ear as he sighed and looked out the window

"Yes, it's me," he said after someone answered on the other end. "I'll do it."


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-six

Will watched the financial news when the door opened and Devon walked in the room.

"Hey, you up for a visit?" she asked.

"Anytime," he said as his thumb pushed the mute button and she sat on the chair next to the bed. He noticed she looked a little upset about something when he blinked and she placed her hands in her lap. "What's wrong?"

"Did Louisa tell you what happened at court yesterday?"

"She said something about Alicia's solicitor causing trouble."

"Trouble is the word. He threatened to call for a mistrial if you didn't collaborate Mister Freshwell's testimony."

"She said my mother got permission for them to come here so I can," he said and she nodded. "Is there anything else wrong?"

"I was thinking about your offer to find my brother and sister."

"Do you want to?"

"No, I don't," she said and he saw the sadness in her eyes. "It's been too long. "

"Well, it's an open offer. If you change your mind…"

"Right," she said while the doors opened and Louisa, Camilla, Andrew, Mark, Randall and two other figures entered the room.

"Hello," Will said and Louisa walked to the bed.

"Good afternoon, Mister Traynor," Randall said while a young woman with long brown hair sat on one of the chairs and set up her laptop. "I am Judge Randall Marsh. This is Miss Watson. She will be recording our meeting."

"Hello," Jessie Watson said.

"This is Mister Andrew Kincaid and this is Mister Mark Jefferson."

"Can we get on with this?" Mark asked and Will arched his eyebrows up.

"Why are you in such a rush? You have something better to do?" Devon asked and Louisa, Jessie and Will softly laughed.

"Miss Sharpe, why are you here?"

"I was just leaving," she said as she gave him a cold look then left.

"Are we ready?" Randall asked and Jessie and the bailiff nodded. Louisa helped the bailiff swear Will in as Randall sat on the chair next to Jessie and Andrew stood at the foot of the bed.

"For the record, please state your name," Andrew said.

"My name is William Traynor," Will said.

"Mister Traynor, how long did you know Alicia Dewar?"

"I knew her on and off for about seven or eight years."

"And in those seven or eight years, was there anytime you saw Miss Dewar acting in a violent manner?"

"There was that time she tossed wooden balls at me."

"Mister Freshwell did show us video evidence pertaining to that incident. May I ask what happened afterwards?"

"Alicia went into the bedroom and I went to spend the night at Mister Freshwell's."

"How did Miss Dewar act after you returned home?"

"She was cold and a little distant."

"Did she apologize?"

"No, but I did."

"Do you know of any other times she was violent?"

"Yes," Will said then became quiet and Louisa looked at him.

"Are you alright?" Louisa asked.

"I could use a drink of water."

Louisa poured some water into a glass when she held the straw to his lips and Will took a few sips of water.

"Do you wish to continue?" Andrew asked and Will barely nodded.

"It was five years ago. I was at a dinner party and someone got fresh with her."

"What did she do?"

"She grabbed his balls."

"What happened next?"

"He was a potential client and he demanded my resignation."

"She attacked someone and you were the one who got in trouble!?"

"Yes," Will said, barely nodding his head.

"What happened next?"

"My employer demanded an apology."

"Did she give him one?"

"After I told her to, yes."

"Then what happened?"

"We returned to the flat and I broke things off with her."

"Did you get back together?"

"Yes. It was the following February."

Randall gave Will a puzzled look when he opened the file and looked at the photo of Alec. He glanced at Will then back at the photo when something clicked in his mind and his eyebrows slightly arched.

"Thank you," Andrew said then paused for a few seconds. "Now, do you know of any time when Miss Dewar was violent toward the child?"

"Yes, I do."

"Please explain."

"It was the Christmas before my accident. We were doing some window shopping when this kid came up and asked for some money. He was collecting for charity."

"Were you going to give him a donation?"

"I usually do, but Alicia… She calls it begging."

"What did she do?"

"She shoved the kid to the ground, told him to bugger off and walked away."

"What did you do?"

"I picked the kid up, asked him if he was ok and gave him some money."

"No further questions, Milord."

"Mister Jefferson, you may now question the witness," Randall said and Mark walked to the foot of the bed.

"Mister Traynor, do you know what day it is?" Mark began and Will gave him a blank look.

"Objection!" Andrew said.

Louisa noticed the look in Will's eyes when he pressed his lips together then did his Christie Brown impression. Mark's eyes widened while Will gave him a smug look and Louisa rolled her eyes.

"What the hell was that?!" Mark asked.

"That's me answering your stupid question," Will said and Louisa and Jessie laughed.

"My apologies," Mark said then looked at his notes. "I did notice my colleague failed to ask how you met Miss Dewar. Please tell us when that was."

"Not sure why that matters, but I met her at a club. She was there with some friends and I bought her a drink. We chatted for a bit then I asked her out for dinner."

"How long after that did you move in together?"

"It was three months later."

"Mister Freshwell mentioned it was two weeks later that she tossed those wooden balls at you."

"Yes, it was."

"How did she miss? You were right in front of her."

"She's a lousy shot," Will said and dimples dented his cheeks as he grinned.

"Yes, Mister Freshwell told us that," Mark said then gave Will a cold look. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course."

"Are you being so cooperative because you are trying to get back at Miss Dewar for her relationship with Mister Freshwell?"

"Objection!" Andrew said.

"If I may explain, Milord?" he asked and Randall nodded. "As Mister Traynor has already stated, he and Miss Dewar were estranged due to a misunderstanding…"

"It wasn't a misunderstanding. She nearly cost me my career," Will said.

"But you still had a career up until you became…," he said and waved his hand toward Will's body. "Were you living with Miss Dewar when the accident happened?"

"No. She had left two months before."

"Why?"

"She was on a business trip."

"She was on a business trip for _two_ months?!"

"That is what she told me."

"And you believed her?!"

"No, I didn't, but that's how things were."

"In those two months, were you faithful to her?"

"Objection!" Andrew said.

"Answer the question, Mister Traynor," Randall said and Will barely nodded.

"No," Will said and looked at Louisa. "I had an affair. Her name was Lissa. Like with Alicia, I met her at a club and, a few weeks later, she moved in."

"What were you going to tell Miss Dewar about the affair?" Mark asked.

"I really don't think it would have mattered."

"Why do you say that?"

"I believe it was due to Alicia already being in a relationship with Mister Freshwell."

"What happened to this Lissa?"

"She left me after the accident. She didn't feel that she could handle me being like this."

"And Miss Dewar? How did she react?"

"She complained about me being in the hospital was interfering with her schedule, ordered the staff around and asked if my condition was permanent."

"Is that when you finally ended things with her?"

"Yes."

"And that was the last time you saw her?"

"No, I saw her last year when she came to my house and told me she and Mister Freshwell were getting married."

"What a bitch," Jesse whispered and Randall looked at her.

"Did you say something, Miss Watson?" Randall asked.

"Sorry, Milord, but that was cruel. I wouldn't hurt my ex like that."

"Did you go to the wedding?" Mark asked.

"Yes, I did," Will said.

"Did you feel any animosity towards them?"

"Milord, what does any of this have to do with the case?" Andrew asked.

"I am just trying to see if Mister Traynor is telling us the truth or if he and Mister Freshwell are trying to do to my clients what was done to Miss Collins."

"You think Rupert and I are trying to frame them?" Will asked.

"Are you?!"

"That is enough!" Randall said as he glared at Mark. "We're finished."

Randall got up and Jesse put her laptop away after she saved Will's testimony and they and the bailiff headed for the door. Andrew followed them out of the room as Mark looked at Will then turned and left the room. Will looked at the ceiling as he sighed and Louisa brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"That was fun," Will said.

"You ok?" Louisa asked and he glanced at her.

"I'm fine, Clark."

"Louisa, you stay here with William. I'm going back to court to see what else Rupert has to say," Camilla said then left the room. She saw Randall waiting for her in the hallway when she walked closer and he arched an eyebrow.

"You know, don't you?" Randall asked.

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Don't play games with me, Cammie. You know Alec Freshwell is your grandchild."

"Yes, I do know."

"Does he know?"

"Yes, William knows about Alec."

"Did he know before his accident?'

"No."

Randall went silent for a few seconds as he scanned her face with his eyes then sighed and lightly shook his head.

"I believe you," he said, letting out a puff of air. "It is things like this which make me really hate my job."

"I can't believe Jefferson stooped so low."

"Oh, believe me, I have dealt with solicitors like him in the past."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, I hope you like being called "Nan"," he said with a small laugh and they headed down the hallway.

Back at the courthouse, Mark looked over his notes when he felt like he was being watched and looked up to see Andrew standing in front of him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Mark asked.

"Just trying to figure out what happened," Andrew said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Come off it. While we were in law school, you told me you would hate to turn into one of those solicitors who would do anything if the price was right. Guess you were lying."

"I wasn't lying."

"Then explain to me why you're doing this. You have seen the reports. You've heard the same testimony I have. These people are guilty."

"That isn't…"

"They framed an innocent woman," he growled and Mark sighed. He watched Andrew walk away when he looked at his notes and sat back in the chair.

The courtroom started filling as Camilla sat next to Rupert and Stephen and Rupert nodded at her. Randall walked in the room and sat down while he looked at Andrew and Mark when he called the court to order and Mark stood up.

"Milord, I would like to call Rupert Freshwell back to the stand," Mark said and Rupert got up and walked to the witness box. He sat down as Mark walked closer and Rupert looked at him. "I must remind you, Mister Freshwell, that you are still under oath."

He paused as he looked at Randall then at Andrew then at Alicia and her parents when he sighed and shook his head.

"_I can't do this anymore,"_ Mark thought as he sighed and rolled his eyes.

"We were able to have Mister Traynor collaborate the things you told us earlier about Alicia Dewar, but I need to know one thing. Why did it take you four years to tell him he was Alec' father?"

People started whispering to each other as Alicia glared at Mark and Randall tried to get the room back in order.

"How…? How did you find out about that?" Rupert asked.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out once I met Mister Traynor. Alec looks just like him."

"He's right. I saw the resemblance myself," Randall said.

"I do _not_ believe this," Alicia growled, placing her head in her hands.

"I guess the reason why has to do with my earlier testimony," Rupert said.

"You were afraid for your life?"

"And for my career."

"But you did keep it a secret."

"Yes."

"Mind telling us why?"

"I really wanted Alec to be mine."

"Care to explain?"

"Alicia was sleeping with both Will and I. Once she found out she was pregnant, she was unable to say if I was the father or Will was."

"Shut up," Alicia whispered.

"How did you find out Alec wasn't your son?" Mark asked.

"My father demanded a paternity test done shortly after he was born," Rupert said.

"_Shut_ up!" Alicia whispered a little louder.

"How did you feel about the results?" Mark asked.

"I was hurt, angry and a little disappointed," Rupert said.

"Would you have told Mister Traynor about Alec being his son if you were able to?"

"Of course," he said with a nod.

Alicia felt like screaming as she glared at Rupert and Rupert took a sip of water.

"Was there any other reason why you didn't tell him?" Mark asked and Rupert looked at Alicia.

"Well, there was one thing."

"Don't you dare!" Alicia mouthed as Rupert sighed and sat up a little straighter.

"What was the other reason?" Mark asked.

"She told me she would abort the baby if I even_ thought_ of telling him."

"Do you think she would have done that?"

"Yes."

"_Liar_!" Alicia shouted, standing up.

"Sit _down_, Miss Dewar!" Randall said as he called for the court to come to order. Mark saw the anger in her eyes when he walked to Andrew and leaned his hands on the top of the table.

"What are you doing?" Andrew whispered.

"I'm saving my career and, hopefully, my soul," Mark whispered and Andrew nodded.

"Ask him about the letter he sent to William Traynor."

"What letter?"

"Just ask him." Andrew said as Mark turned and looked at Rupert.

"Mister Freshwell, did you send a letter to Mister Traynor?' Mark asked, walking back to Rupert.

"Yes, I did," Rupert said with a nod.

"When did you send it?"

"It was last November."

"What was the letter about?"

"I finally told him about Alec and that he was being abused."

"You _what_!?" Alicia shouted, standing up.

"Miss Dewar, this is your final warning!" Randall said and she sat down.

"You finally told Mister Traynor about Alec and the abuse?" Mark asked.

"Yes. I also sent him a copy of Alec' birth certificate, his baptism certificate and the first paternity test. I also explained why I didn't tell him sooner and I sent him DVDs of Alec's life."

"Why would you do that?"

"I guess it was to relieve the guilt and… And I was dying."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You see, I knew about my heart condition for months and my doctor told me I was a heart attack away from death. So, I thought I should come clean with my former best friend before I died and make things right between us."

Camilla wasn't the only one who was shocked by what he said as she looked at him and he gave her an apologetic look.

"Do you believe he will try for custody of Alec once this trail is over?"

"It wouldn't surprise me."

"No further questions, Milord," Mark said as he walked away and sat down. Alicia slid a piece of paper to him as he looked down and saw YOU ARE A DEAD MAN. He picked up a pen as he wrote something then slid the paper to her. AT LEAST I'LL DIE WITH A CLEAR CONSCIOUS.

Camilla had removed her phone when she looked at the text menu and opened the address book. She tapped the screen when she sat a little straighter and typed on the screen.

**Rupert has just told the court about Alec being William's son.**

She waited as she looked at Rupert and he gave her a wink. Nodding, she looked at the screen after the phone made a soft buzzing noise and she read the text.

**How did Alicia take it?**

**She was surprised to say the least.**

**Is Rupert alright?**

**Yes, he's fine. But I was surprised by Mark Jefferson.**

**Is he causing trouble?**

**No, he was the one who asked Rupert about Alec.**

**Why would he do that?**

**I don't know.**

Camilla saw Andrew walking to the witness box as she ended the text and placed the phone away.

"Now that we have established a few things about Miss Dewar," Andrew started as he turned to look at Alicia then looked at Rupert. "Let's talk about what happened last April. You were on your honeymoon at the time, weren't you?"

"Yes, we were," Rupert said with a nod.

"What was your reaction to the news of Alec being hurt?"

"I was frantic."

"And Miss Dewar? How did she react?"

"She didn't seem bothered by it."

"Object, you idiot," Alicia whispered, poking Mark in the side, but he just folded his fingers together and placed his chin on his knuckles.

"What did happen when you returned home?" Andrew asked.

"We went straight to the hospital, but we were told we were unable to see him."

"How did you feel about that?"

"I was very upset. We had all right to see him."

What about Miss Dewar?"

"She demanded the doctor should let us see him, but the doctor told us Child Services would not allow us access to Alec."

"Because they were investigating what happened to him."

"Yes."

"We have spoken with Miss Devon Sharpe and she told us of the numerous times Alec was taken from you."

"I admit I thought she was over reacting at times, but, looking back, her reasons for removing him were just."

"Object!" Alicia hissed and nearly pushed Mark out of his chair.

"Bailiff, remove Miss Dewar!" Randall said and the bailiff walked to her. She stood when she looked at Rupert and mouthed "You are a dead man.". "And, Miss Dewar, I can read lips. If anything happens to Mister Freashwell, I will charge you with murder."

Alicia moved away from the bailiff as he led her out of the room and Andrew looked at Rupert.

"I have one final question. Do you believe the person or persons who have been abusing Alec are in this courtroom?" Andrew asked.

"Yes, I do," Rupert said with a nod.

"No further questions, Milord."

"Mister Jefferson, do you have any more questions?" Randall asked and Mark shook his head. "Then, Mister Freshwell, you are dismissed."

"Thank you, Milord," Rupert said as he stood and Stephen led him to the door to the judge's chamber. Camilla watched them leave as she frowned and looked at Randall.

"_What the hell is going on?"_ she thought and leaned back in the chair.

The car approached the small private plane sitting on the tarmac as the car stopped and the driver got out of the car. He opened the passenger door as Rupert got out of the car and looked at the plane. Stephen walked to him as he looked at him and nodded. They headed for the private plane as they went inside and Rupert walked to the seat as he sat down and looked out the window.

He thought about how sad he felt when he saw his family in the judge's chambers after he testified and how his mother cried when she hugged him goodbye.

Stephen had taken him out the back of the courthouse to the car and the windows were so dark that he wasn't sure which route they took to get to the airport.

"_You're doing the right thing,"_ he thought when someone walked closer and leaned on the arm of the chair.

"You need to fasten your seat belt, Sir," a female voice said when he looked at Frankie and she smiled.

"What are_ you_ doing here?!" he asked with a shocked look.

"I'm going with you," she said, sitting down and helped him fasten the seat belt before doing hers.

"Wait. You're giving up everything to be with me?"

"I don't have that much to give up, so, yeah."

Smiling, he placed his hand on top of hers as she wrapped their fingers together and the plane moved down the tarmac.

Louisa held the straw while Will sipped on a protein shake then she moved the straw away. She lightly kissed his lips as he gave her pleased look and she placed the glass on the small table.

"I'm bored," Will sighed and looked at the ceiling.

"I know," she said, brushing the hair from his eyes when her phone buzzed and she picked up the phone. "There's a message from Rupert."

"What does he say?"

"I don't know. It looks like it's a video," she said as she went to sit next to him and held up the phone so he could look at the screen. She tapped the screen as they looked at Rupert and Will noticed the sadness in his friend's eyes.

"_Hi. By the time you see this, I'll be gone. No, I'm not going to do something stupid. Let me explain. When Victoria Collins was released from prison, her life was over. She lost her job. She lost her flat. She lost her car. Her family and friends were being threatened. She also received death threats. She had no recourse, but to go into witness protection after she testified. Now the same thing is happening to me. So, to make a long story short, I'm going to have to leave the country and go into hiding. Don't worry. I'll be fine,"_ Rupert said then paused. _"Shit, this is the hardest part of all this. I had this idea of you and I doing some sort of joint custody thing. That Alec would live with you and, maybe, I'll get to do things with him every other weekend. Now? Now I'm going to miss out on watching him grow up. And that really sucks. So, take care and don't blame yourself. This was all Alicia's fault and I hope she rots in hell. Her and her family. Give Alec a hug for me and tell him Uncle Rupert loves him."_

Louisa turned the message off as she looked at Will and he blinked the tears out of his eyes. She placed the phone away when she scooted closer and leaned her head against his.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty-seven

"What do you mean he's gone?!" Alicia demanded as she looked out the window and folded her arm over her stomach.

"My source at Scotland Yard told me Rupert had made a deal with Archer and was placed in witness protection," Timothy's voice said and she resisted the urge to toss the phone across the room.

"When did he leave?!"

"It was right after he finished his testimony."

"Did he say where they sent him?!"

"No."

"I can't believe this! First, we're falsely accused of abusing Alec!"

"Alicia…."

"Second, we have to deal with that bitch from Child Services and Alec is taken from us!"

"Alicia…"

"Then we're arrested, released on bail, put under house arrest and have to wear these stupid tracking things!" she said as she looked down at her feet.

"Alicia, if you…"

"Finally, David McCann gets arrested, we have to go to court, Rupert confirms that bitch's testimony for what happened in the bathroom, Will confirms what happened that day when I tossed those wooden balls at him, Jefferson turns on us and Rupert tells them Alec is Will's son!"

"_Alicia!_" Timothy's voice shouted and she sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Can this day get any worse?!"

"It appears my attempts for a media blackout failed."

"Are you serious!?"

"Yes. Everything, including the trail and Alec being Will's son, is in the papers, gossips sheets and on social media."

Alicia looked at the phone when she screamed and tossed the phone across the room. The phone shattered against the wall as she snorted out a breath of air and left the room.

"Hey!" Georgina said after she opened the door and Will was looking at the news. She noticed her big brother was angry as she walked to the bed and sat down on the edge.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked, glancing at her.

"Did you _really_ think I wouldn't come and see my big brother while he's in the hospital?"

"I've been here for a few days."

"Is it my fault my boss is a jerk and didn't allow me time off until now?!" she said with a smile, but Will only blinked. "Will?"

"It's falling apart."

"What is?"

"_Everything_," he said and she saw the look in his eyes. It was the same look he had after the accident and she carefully knelt on the bed to place her hands on his shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"I am doing what I should have done a long time ago," she said, locking eyes with him. "Knock it off."

"Knock what off?"

"Knock off all this _"Woe is me! Everything is over!"_ stuff. Ok, things are not going the way you want them to, but that's _life_. Shit _happens_. Instead of dwelling on what you think you have lost, look at what you have. You are _alive_. You still have your job. True, you only work a few hours a day and can't travel, but you still do it. You have friends and family who love you. You have a son who thinks the _world_ of you. Finally, you have a _wife_ who was willing to risk _everything_ to keep you from doing the _dumbest_ thing you ever thought of."

Will looked at his little sister then sighed and he glanced at the tv.

"Rupert had to leave the country," he said in a soft voice.

"He did!?" she asked as she sat back down.

"Yeah, he had to go into witness protection."

"And _who_ is the reason he had to do that?" she asked when he opened his mouth to say something and she glared at him. "Don't you _dare_ say it was you."

"I was going to say Alicia," he said and smiled.

"Damn right," she said as she carefully lifted his left arm and placed his arm in her lap.

"I noticed the local news hasn't mentioned the trial."

"That might be because Mummy set up a local media blackout," she said, playing with his fingers.

"That wouldn't stop reporters or paparazzi from London from coming here."

"Yes, it would. You know how protective she is when it comes to us."

"I guess you're right," he said then went silent.

"Now what's the matter?"

"I'm just worried about Alec."

"You _really_ don't think that bitch is going to get off and take him, do you?"

"No, but I do think it's odd that he really hasn't reacted to all this. When we first met, he didn't really like me…"

"That's because he didn't know you."

"But he didn't mind when Devon Sharpe left him with us that first night."

"He must have gotten used to being dropped off at some stranger's house."

"He didn't care about me being…," he said then glanced at his wheelchair.

"Not that many do."

"He was happy when Devon told us he could stay."

"And that is a bad thing?"

"No, but…"

"Will…"

"The only times he got upset was when he had his nightmare, when we talked to Archer, when I ended up with pneumonia and Rupert got sick," he said then sighed.

"He gets that from you," she said and he gave her a puzzled look. "Don't get me wrong. You_ do _show emotions and get upset, _but_ you also keep things in for a really long time. It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop. Once it does… _Bam_! You lose it! Maybe that's what he's doing. He's waiting for the right time to let loose."

"And what do I do when he does?"

"You be there for him."

Will barely nodded his head when the door opened and Louisa and Alec walked in the room.

"Hi!" Alec said when he ran to the bed and climbed up to sit next to Will then looked at the tv. "What are you watching?"

"I'm watching the news," Will said.

"That's boring."

Alec used the remote to change the channel to cartoons and Will gave him an amused look. Louisa walked to the bed when she leaned over to kiss Will's lips then she moved back. She knew they had to tell Alec about Rupert as she glanced at Alec and Will noticed the look in her eyes.

"Alec, I need to talk to you for a few minutes," Will said and Alec gave him a worried look as he used the remote to mute the television.

"Are you still sick?"

"No, I'm fine. What I need to talk to you about is Uncle Rupert."

"Is he sick?!"

"No, but he did have to something. Something I don't think you're going to like."

"What did he do?"

"He had to go away."

"Where did he go?"

"We don't know."

"Is he coming back?"

"No."

Alec looked from Will to Louisa then back when he frowned and blinked his eyes a few times.

"Did the Bad Lady make him go away?" Alec finally asked.

"Yeah, Buddy, she did."

They watched Alec carefully get off the bed when he walked to the door, opened the door and left the room. Will looked at Louisa when she headed for the door, opened the door and went to follow Alec. She headed down the hallway when she found Alec sitting in the guest waiting area and she sat down next to him. He didn't look at her as she lifted him onto her lap and wrapped her arms around him.

"I can't believe it!" Josie said as she placed the cup of tea down in front of Louisa and Louisa sighed. She had taken Alec and Georgina back to the annex after visiting Will then she had come to see her mother.

"Neither can we," Louisa said as she took a sip of tea.

"She just has to keep twisting the knife, doesn't she?" Josie asked, sitting down.

"Yeah, and it's making Will feel like he's failed as a father."

"It has?"

"That's what his sister told me."

"That is a load of rubbish! He's a great dad!"

"But how long is he going to be able to do that?! Mum, if she gets off, Alicia is going to take Alec back!"

"I understand the courts will do that because she_ is_ his mum, but, after all this, I can't think of a judge in their right mind who would do that."

"Her parents have a lot of power."

"So does Camilla. I trust she will make sure he stays where he is."

"Since when have you been calling her by her first name?"

"Since you two got engaged," she said and they both laughed. "Now, how is Alec?"

"I think, like with Will, he's about ready to break," Louisa said with a sigh. "And Will and I don't know what do to when he does."

"You let him, Love."

"That is what his councilor told us. It's just that I'm scared he might make himself sick. Or it will make Will sick. I know Will's tough, but it kills him when he thinks of Alec being that upset."

"All parents feel that way. Remember what happened in the hedge maze?"

"What does that have to do with it?"

"Your dad and I were devasted with what happened to you, but we also were at a lost with what to do. We couldn't have those boys arrested due to them being from the wealthy side of the track, but, at the same time, we couldn't be angry at you or Tree because you two were flirting. So, we supported you the best we could and allowed you to make up your mind with how you handled everything. You and Will are going to have to do the same."

"I just don't want him hating us."

"Do you hate your dad and I?"

"No."

"Do you think we've failed you?"

"No."

"Then he won't hate you or Will."

"Yeah," she said and took a sip of tea. "Um, Mum, will you do me a favor and go talk to Will?"

"You think he's slipping into that hole he dug for himself?"

"Yeah."

"Then I better go pull him out," Josie said with a grin and Louisa smiled.

Timothy stood in front of the fireplace as he looked at the photographs on the mantle and sipped on a brandy. The double doors opened when he turned and saw Camilla walking toward him.

"Hello," he said while Camilla stopped in front of him and he saw the anger in her eyes.

"This has to stop," Camilla said.

"Are you talking about the trail? Yes, it does."

"That is not what I am talking about."

"Then what are you talking about?"

"I am talking about you and that… That… I am talking about Alicia. Do you two really get pleasure out of making my son miserable?!"

"He brought this upon himself," he said and Camilla fought hard not to slap him.

"No," she said with a shake of her had. "I will not let you make me angry. In fact, I believe Rupert was right when he said the person or persons who hurt Alec were in that courtroom. Just as I know that one of them was once a good person. It took them being worn down by someone they shouldn't have been with to begin with which changed them. I just hope they find themselves again and do what's right."

"They are."

"Then I am wasting my time."

"I guess you are."

He watched her walking to the doorway when she turned and looked at him.

"A guilty conscious always wins in the end," she said then walked away and Timothy took a long drink before turning to look at the photographs. He looked at a photo of Alec when he tossed the glass into the fireplace and the glass shattered against the wood.

The door opened as Will glanced at the door and Josie walked in the room. She headed for the bed as he arched his eyebrows up in surprise and she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Louisa talked to you," he finally said and she nodded.

"She's worried," Josie said, taking his hand.

"She doesn't have anything to worry about."

"She doesn't?"

"Well, it is true that I am feeling miserable about all this…."

"And you feel like this is all your fault."

"Shouldn't I feel that way?"

"No, you shouldn't. Nor should you let this drag you back down into that hole you dug yourself into after your accident."

"I'm not."

"Lou thinks you are."

Will became quiet as he looked at the ceiling and Josie lightly squeezed his fingers.

"Will it hurt if I sat you up a bit?" she asked.

"No, I don't think so," he said and she moved a little closer. She carefully sat him up as she moved him a little forward and wrapped her arms around him. He liked her holding him when he leaned his head against hers and she stroked the back of his head.

"It's going to be alright, Love. I promise," she whispered and he made a contented sigh.

Louisa woke to the sound of a quiet annex when she sat up and looked around. The room was dark as she glanced over to Will's side of the bed and brushed her hand over the empty spot. She got out of bed when she headed down the hallway and looked into Alec' room. The bed was empty as she felt her heart slamming in her chest and she checked to see if he was in the bathroom or if any of his clothing was missing. She walked into the main room, but didn't see anything when something made her look toward the sunroom and could just see the sliding doors were open. She slowly walked to the doorway when she saw Alec sitting on the floor from the moonlight and he was looking up at the dark sky. For a split second, she saw Will sitting there and she slowly walked closer. She sat behind Alec when she placed her legs around him and he leaned back.

"Can't sleep?" Louisa asked.

"No," Alec said with a sigh.

"Alec, do you remember what Papa Bear and I told you about not letting someone hurt you?"

"Yeah."

"Do you believe us?"

"Yeah."

"But the Bad Lady keeps hurting you… Hurting us, doesn't she?"

"She made Uncle Rupert leave."

"I know."

"She keeps making you and Papa Bear angry."

"Right."

"But you don't want to get angry because it makes me feel bad."

"Do you feel bad?"

"Yeah. I feel like no one wants me," he said and Louisa felt her heart sinking.

"That isn't true."

"I know, but… But, sometimes, I just want to cry."

She slid him into her arms when she kissed the top of his head and he sighed.

"Go ahead," she said and he looked at her.

"You won't mind?"

"Papa Bear and I have been hoping you would," she said with a small smile and started rocking him. Suddenly something in Alec broke as he started sobbing and Louisa looked out the window.

Will returned to the annex days later, but he insisted on going with Camilla when she went to hear Timothy's testimonies and Nathan had gone with them.

"Are you sure about this?" Nathan asked, looking at Will while they walked down the hallway.

"Yes," Will said with a small nod.

"If you start getting stressed, I am taking you home."

Nathan opened the door as they entered the room and Will leaned the back of his head against the headrest. Nathan set the breaks when he sat on the chair and Camilla sat next to Nathan. The courtroom became quiet as Alicia, Jane and Timothy were escorted into the room and they sat down. The door to the judge's chamber opened as Randall and the bailiff entered the room and Randall went to sit down. The bailiff called the court to order when Andrew stood up and turned to face the room.

"The court would like to call Colonel Dewar to the stand," he said and Timothy got up. After he was sworn in, Timothy sat down and looked around the room with his eyes. He was surprised to see Will when Timothy sat up a little straighter and Will gave him a blank look. "Please state your name for the court."

"My name is Colonel Timothy Dewar," Timothy said.

"Thank you," Andrew said with a nod. "Colonel, please tell the court, do you honestly believe Miss Victoria Collins harmed your grandson?"

"I…," Timothy said when he glanced over at Camilla then at Will and sighed. "No, I do not believe she did anything wrong."

"What?!" Jane Dewar shouted as she stood up and glared at him. "You know damn well she did!"

"Sit down, Mrs. Dewar," Randall said and she sat down. Andrew looked at Mark as Mark barely nodded his head and Andrew looked at Timothy.

"You don't believe Miss Collins did anything wrong, yet you originally agree with the testimony in regard to what had happened in the bathroom. A story, by the way, Mister Freshwell has now proven to be false."

"I know what I agreed to, but, now, I wish to change my testimony."

"She was charged with child abuse and neglect."

"Yes, she was," Timothy said as he adjusted his position on the chair and crossed one leg over the other.

"Which means you also lied about who harmed Alec in April of last year."

"Yes, I did," he said and looked at Will then he looked at Randall. "Milord, before I say more, I wish to speak with Mister Traynor."

Randall gave him a puzzled look when he looked at Will and gave him a shocked look.

"I didn't know he was here," Randall said. "Mister Traynor, do you wish to speak with the defendant?"

"Yes, I would like to speak with him," Will said.

"Then we will take a short recess and you can speak to him in my chambers," Randall said as he dismissed the court and Nathan followed Will into Randall's chambers. Randall walked to the desk as he sat down and Timothy stood near the desk. Mark, Jessie Watson and Andrew had followed them into the room as they stood near the wall near the door and Jessie set up her equipment. Will parked the wheelchair next to Timothy while the bailiff closed the door then stood in front of the door. Timothy sat on the chair when he looked at Will and a cold ball of ice started building in his stomach.

"Thank you for talking to me in private," Timothy said and sat up a little straighter. "First of all, I wish to apologize for my part in all this. I should have insisted Alicia contact you when we found out she was pregnant."

"Rupert told me you overjoyed when they told you," Will said.

"We were."

"You thought he was the father, so I can see why you didn't tell me."

"We should have told you once he told us you were the father."

"You thought it would be better to keep me in the dark because you were still angry over my mother picking my father over you," Will said and Timothy's eyes widened.

"You know about that?"

"When I was ten, I overheard them fighting and my father mentioned she should have married you instead of him. It wasn't until I met you that I figured out you were the one he was talking about."

"William…"

"Thanks to all of you, I was denied nearly_ four_ years of his life. Four years I can _never_ get back."

"Which is why I need you to let me explain something."

Will barely nodded his head as Timothy leaned back in the chair and tried to figure out how to tell him the truth.

"It is true I was in love with your mother at one time. I was devasted when she rejected me, but I moved on. There will always be a part of me who still does love her and I have thought, on occasion, what life would had been like if you and your sister had been my children. I have a feeling you would have gone in the military to prove you were just as good at soldering as I am."

"You're right," Will said with a laugh.

"But I assure you I would never had raised a hand against you or your sister."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"What happened to Alec wasn't done out of malice."

"Are you saying, like with the bathroom, it was an accident?"

"Yes," he said with a nod.

"Then I am right. You are the Bad Man."

"The Bad Man?"

"That is what Alec calls the person who attacked him."

"How do you know that?"

"He told me."

"Mister Traynor," Andrew interrupted and Will turned the wheelchair to face him. "What do you mean he told you?"

"I'm not only his father, but his foster parent. I was there when he talked with DI Archer."

"DI Archer did tell us he never asked Alec about one of the photos."

"That's because he figured out what I did," he said then turned the wheelchair to face Timothy. "You hurt Alec."

"Yes," Timothy said, placing his head in his hands and sighed.

_**A/N: Hope you liked my plot twist. Unless you already figured it out.**_


	38. Chapter 38

_**A/N: Timothy tells the truth and the verdict surprises everyone.**_

Chapter Thirty-eight

Louisa looked at the screen as she read the text from Camilla then she frowned and typed on the keyboard.

**Do you know why he wanted to talk to Will?**

**No. Though I have a feeling he is finally clearing his conscious.**

**Then Will is right. Alicia's father hurt Alec.**

**Yes, but I have a feeling it wasn't intentional. Timothy Dewar is not a violent man. Clever. Devious. But not violent.**

**Why is he coming clean now?**

**A guilty conscious always wins out in the end.**

Louisa looked at the screen for a long time then typed on the keyboard and pushed the button.

**So, he wanted to come clean to Will first because he didn't want to upset him?**

**I do believe that's the case.**

**How do you think Will's going to handle it?**

**I don't know, but Nathan is with him. If William gets too stressed, Nathan will take him home.**

**Good.**

The bell rang as Louisa looked up at the clock and realized she had to go to class.

**I have to go.**

**I will have William or Nathan call you once they're done.**

**Thank you.**

**And, Dear, don't worry. William is going to be fine.**

Louisa ended the text and placed the phone in her purse before headed down the hallway and walked in the classroom.

Will looked at Timothy while his mind drifted back to the conversation with DI Archer and Will placed the back of his head against the headrest.

_"It's ok. No one's going to get angry. What did I do?"_

"_You spilled the juice."_

"_I did?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Where did I spill it?"_

"_It was on the small table."_

"_Like the small table in my den?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Did I do it on purpose?"_

"_No,"_

"_Why would the bad man be mad at Will if he accidentally spilled the juice?"_

"_The juice went on the papers."_

"_There were papers on the small table?"_

"_Yeah."_

"Are you ok, Mate?" Nathan asked and Will glanced at him.

"Yes, I'm fine," Will said and looked at Timothy.

"I believe we should get back," Randall said as they left the room and headed back in the courtroom. Will parked the wheelchair near Nathan's chair as Nathan sat down and Camilla looked at Will.

"Am I right in thinking he told you he hurt Alec?" Camilla asked.

"Yes," Will said as Timothy sat down and Andrew walked to him.

"Colonel, please tell the court what you just told Mister Traynor," Andrew said.

"I told Mister Traynor about who really harmed Alec," Timothy said.

"And you wanted to tell him that in private?"

"Yes. Considering his condition, I didn't just want to blurt it out in court."

"Who really harmed Alec William Freshwell?"

"I did."

"You idiot!" Jane shouted as she stood up and Randall brought the room to order.

"Mrs. Dewar, sit down!" Randall said and she sat down hard on the chair.

"Please, Colonel, tell us what happened," Andrew said.

"It was a Saturday afternoon," Timothy started. "I was asked to write a speech for a graduation at the local military academy, but I was having trouble. I had given speeches like this in the past, so I wanted to say something different. Something I hadn't said before. It had become frustrating and I ended up in a foul mood."

"Is that when Alec entered the room?"

"Yes."

"What happened next?"

"He asked me what I was doing."

"Did you tell him?"

"Yes, and he asked if he could help me. I told him he could help me by sitting quiet and letting me think."

"Did he sit down?"

"Yes, but I hadn't noticed he has a glass of juice in his hands. He went to sit the glass on the coffee table, but the glass tipped over and the juice spread over the speech."

"What did you do?"

"It was all a blur. I had stormed over to him and started yelling. I called him a bad boy and he started backing away from me. I didn't mean to grab him so hard, but I took hold of his right wrist and he screamed. He tried to pull away from me and that is when I felt something pop and he really started screaming."

"How did he end up with a concussion?"

"He went backwards and hit his head on the door," Timothy said as he placed his head in his hands. "I thought I had killed him."

Will glanced at Camilla and Nathan then looked back at Timothy and Timothy looked up.

"Did you call for help?" Andrew asked and Timothy sat back in the chair.

"Of course, I did," Timothy said.

"Who came to help you?"

"It was Miss Collins then my wife," he said, looking at Jane glaring at him.

"Who called for the ambulance?"

"It was Miss Collins."

"Is that when it was decided to make her the scapegoat?"

'Objection!" Mark said after Jane had pinched his leg and he rubbed his leg.

"I apologize, Milord," Andrew said then looked at Timothy. "What happened next?"

"The ambulance arrived and Alec was taken to the hospital," Timothy said.

"And you were questioned by the police about what happened?"

"Yes," he said with a nod. Andrew paused for a few seconds as he looked at Timothy then he looked back at Will and Will was looking up at the ceiling.

"Will, you ok?" Nathan whispered as he got up and went to check Will's vitals.

"Is he alright?" Randall asked.

"I think I need to take him out of the room for a bit," Nathan said and Randall nodded. Nathan put the wheelchair on manual when he pushed the wheelchair toward the door and the guard opened the door. They went out into the hallway as Camilla followed them and Nathan checked Will's vitals for the second time.

"William?" Camilla said and Will glanced at her.

"I want to go home," Will said with a blank look.

"No, we are going to take you to the hospital."

"Mother…"

"Listen to her, Mate. We're not going home until we're sure nothing's wrong with you," Nathan said and Will sighed. He knew he was fighting a losing battle as he barely nodded and Nathan pushed the wheelchair down the hallway.

"Will!" came from behind the door as he looked at the door and Louisa and Alec entered the room. He was sitting up in the bed with a blanket around his waist and he was hooked up to a heart monitor. A pulse clip was connected to his right index finger and she saw the embarrassed look on his face.

"Hi," Will said as she walked closer and placed Alec on the chair next to the bed.

"Where is Nathan and your mother?"

"My mother went back to the courthouse and Nathan is talking with my doctor," he said and she sat on the edge of the bed, taking his left hand on hers.

"Did the Bad Man hurt you, Papa Bear?" Alec asked.

"No, but what he told me got me really upset," he said and Louisa reached over, picked Alec off the chair then sat Alec on Will's lap.

"What did he tell you?"

"He told me what really happened the day he hurt you."

"He said I was bad."

"Yeah, he did."

"What did happen?" Louisa asked and Will told her. She felt sorry for Timothy as she sighed and wrapped their fingers together. "But why would he agree to say it was Victoria Collins who hurt him?"

"I guess it was the same reason Rupert did. He was afraid of losing everything."

"That's not right," Alec said with a shake of his head.

"You're right, Buddy. It's not," Will said as the door opened and Camilla walked in the room.

"Hello," Camilla said as she walked to Louis and gave her a small hug.

"Can Papa Bear go home now?" Alec asked.

"No, I am afraid he will need to spend the night."

"Mother…," Wil said with a sigh.

"They just want to make sure you are alright."

"I'd be alright sleeping in my own bed."

"No. You stay here," Alec said, wagging a finger at him and Will laughed.

"Are you staying?" Camilla asked as she looked at Louisa.

"Seeing that it's Friday, yes, we're staying," Louisa she nodded.

"We're going to stay at the hotel down the street," Alec said when the door opened and Nathan walked in the room.

"Hey," he said while he walked to Louisa and gave her a hug and Will look at Camilla.

"Did Colonel Dewar say anything else about what happened?" Will asked.

"Yes, he talked about how his wife talked him into saying it was Miss Collins who harmed Alec and how Alicia agreed to say it was her. The only one who had doubts was Rupert," Camilla said.

"How did his wife and Alicia react when he said that?" Will asked.

"Both of them lost it. They had to be taken out of the courtroom and his wife called him a dead man."

"That's mean," Alec said.

"Then what happened?" Will asked.

"The judge dismissed the court for the day. He does want to hear final arguments tomorrow."

"Then he will decide if they're guilty or not?" Louisa asked as the door opened and the nurse entered the room.

"I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over," the nurse said.

"Can't they stay for a little while longer?" Will asked.

"No, I have to examine you then you're going to have dinner."

"Dinner, as in pureed baby food."

"Yes."

"I'm not really hungry."

"Will, you have to eat," Louisa said.

"I know that, Clark, but I want pizza. Chinese. Anything, but baby food."

Louisa loved how cute he looked when he got stubborn and how, if he could, he would be crossing his arms in defiance.

"It's just for one night, Mate," Nathan said.

"And for breakfast and lunch, if I have to stay until the afternoon."

"William…," Camilla said and he saw the same stern look on Alec' face.

"Fine." he sighed and Louisa stood up, lifting Alec off his lap. She leaned down to kiss his lips then headed for the door and they left the room. Will arched an eyebrow as the nurse walked closer and she held his chart in her hands. "Are you sure I can't have something else?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she said and Will rolled his eyes.

"Are you sure he didn't have a small stroke?" Devon asked while snuggling close to Nathan and he placed his hand behind his head.

"No, he didn't have a stroke and his heart's fine. His blood pressure was high, though, and that's why they wanted Will to spend the night in the hospital," Nathan said, looking at the ceiling.

"I wish I had been there to hear Colonel Dewar's testimony."

"He sounded so sincere and I felt sorry for him."

"It could still be an act. He gets off while his wife and daughter go to jail."

"Then why would he tell Will in private that he hurt Alec?"

"To get Will on his side. If he gets off, he can ask for custody and he hopes Will feels sorry enough to allow him to take Alec."

"Uh…. No, I don't think Will would do that."

"I don't think he would either."

"Do you think he'll get off? Colonel Dewar?"

"It depends on if he was able to fool the judge."

"Bugger," he said with a sigh.

"I know he won't agree to it, but I think Will shouldn't be there when the verdict comes in."

"He would want to be there."

"I get that, but, if the judge finds in favor of the defense, I don't want him to get really sick."

"He'd make himself sick with worry if he's not there."

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see what he wants to do," she said with a yawn then closed her eyes. Nathan felt her relax against him as he slid his arm around her, closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

It took Randall two days to make his decision as the press and paparazzi lined the steps of the courthouse and Mark and some security guards rushed Alicia, Jane and Timothy into the courthouse. They headed down the hallway when she saw Louisa, Alec, Will, Josie, Bernard, Treena, Camilla, Steven, Georgina, Nathan and Devon and she glared at them.

"Enjoy it while you can. Once the judge finds us innocent, I am taking Alec home with me," she said and Alec, who was in Louisa's arms, turned his face away.

"Shut up," Timothy said as she gave him a cold look and they headed inside the courtroom.

"The cheek. Does she really think the judge will let them get away with this?" Josie asked.

"I hope the judge throws the book at them," Georgina growled.

"Never mind the book. I want him to toss an entire library at them," Treena said and Bernard softly laughed.

"Are you alright, Will?" Devon asked as she knelt down next to the wheelchair and he glanced at her.

"Yeah," Will said with barely a nod of his head.

"You don't have to go in if you don't want to," Camilla said. "Your father and I can stay with you and Louisa or Nathan can come out and tell us what the verdict is."

"No, Mother, I want to go in."

"Are you sure?" Steven asked.

"Yes."

Louisa saw the determination in his eyes as he flicked the joystick with his finger and they headed for the doors. The guards opened the doors as Will led them inside and they headed for the seats. Will parked the wheelchair as he looked at the door to the judge's chamber and his right thumb lightly twitched up and down. The door opened as Randall walked in the room then went to sit down. He called the court to order as he looked at Alicia, Jane and Timothy and Will saw the angry look on Randall's face.

"In all my years, I have only seen two other cases similar to this one. And, in both of those cases, the defendants were found innocent," Randal started and Alicia turned to give Will a smug look. "But, in those cases, it was found the judge had been compromised. I am not so easily swayed. I rely on the facts. And the facts show there was indeed multiple incidents of abuse, endangerment and neglect. Not just against the child, but other individuals."

"No," Jane whispered with a small shake of her head.

"Alicia, Jane and Timothy Dewar, please stand."

Slowly, Alicia, Jane and Timothy stood as they looked at Randall and Randall looked down at his notes.

"Timothy Dewar, in regard to the charges of abuse and child endangerment and assault, I find you guilty. In regard to the charge of conspiracy, I also find you guilty."

Timothy nodded when he turned to look at Will then at Alec and sighed.

"Jane Dewar, in regard to the numerous charges of abuse and child endangerment, I find you guilty. In regard to the charge of conspiracy, I also find you guilty."

Jane's eyes widened as her mouth fell open and she balled her hands into fists.

"Finally, Alicia Dewar, in regard to the numerous charges of abuse, neglect and child endangerment, I find you guilty. In regard to the charges of mental and emotional abuse, I find you guilty…"

"Wait! What charges of mental and emotional abuse?!" Alicia demanded.

"Those charges were filed by Mister and Mrs. Freshwell as well as the Traynor family."

"Are you serious?!" she asked with wide eyes.

"Yes," he said then looked at his notes. "In regard to the charges of conspiracy, I find you guilty. Finally, in regard to the charge of near involuntary manslaughter…"

"What!?"

"Please don't interrupt me. This charge was also added by the Freshwells," he said then looked at his notes. "In regard to the charge, I find you guilty."

Alicia breathed hard through her nose when she turned and looked at Will. Will was looking down at Alec, who was sitting on his lap, and Alec had wrapped Will's arms around him.

"This is all your fault!" she shouted and Will looked at her.

"My fault?" Will asked.

"Yes! If you hadn't thrown me out…"

"I threw you out because…!"

"Papa Bear, no," Alec said as some of the people in the courtroom softly laughed and he flicked the joystick to steer the wheelchair then stopped near Timothy. Timothy looked down at his grandson as tears pooled in Alec' eyes and Timothy gave him a sad smile. "I want to tell you something."

"What do you want to tell me?" Timothy asked as he sat down.

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?! _ I_ was the one who hurt_ you_!"

"Yeah, but I was the one who spilled the juice."

"It was an accident."

"I know. Mama told me why you got really mad and that you didn't mean it."

"Do you forgive me?"

"Yeah," Alec said with a nod. "Are you still mad at me?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "But I do want you to do something for me."

"What?"

"I want you to help Mama take care of Papa Bear," he said as he gave Will a smile and Will smiled back.

"Yes, Sir!" Alec said as he saluted Timothy then looked at his hand. "Did I do that right?"

"Yes," he said then Alec flicked the joystick to steer the wheelchair to face Jane and Jane glared at him.

"What do you want?" Jane asked with a cold tone.

"I just want to say I don't like you," Alec said as he stuck his tongue out at her then flicked the joystick to steer the wheelchair to face Alicia.

"Bravo," Alicia said while looking at Will. "Do you really believe anyone is going to buy this… This show?!"

"Leave him alone!" Alec shouted as the tears welled in his eyes.

"Don't you _dare_ yell at your mother!"

"You are _not_ my mama! You never wanted me! You hurt me! You said I was bad and you made Uncle Rupert sad. He got so sad, his heart got broken and he needed a new one! Then he had to run away and I'll never see him again! You made Vicky run away, too!" he said as his voice cracked and the tears freely rolled down his face.

"I didn't…"

"Yes, you did!" he screeched as he breathed hard and fast and made soft hiccup sounds. "You made them go away! And you got Mister David arrested! And Mister Mark might lose his job because he had to make people lie!"

"Don't worry about me," Mark said as Alec looked at him. "I already have another job."

'You do?!"

"Yeah, I'm going to go work for your nan," he said with a wink.

Louisa got up when she walked to the wheelchair and lifted Alec off Will's lap. She took out a tissue as she wiped Alec's nose and he wrapped his arms around her neck. Alicia saw the look in Louisa's eyes as Louisa made soft hushing noises and carded the back of Alec' head.

"You are a real…," Louisa started.

"Clark, let me handle this," Will said and Alicia looked at him. "I do admit I broke things off with you, but what you did was far worse. I was denied the joy of finding out I was going to be a father. I missed out on doctor's appointments, birthing classes and being there for you when you were going through morning sickness."

"You wouldn't…," Alicia said.

"You never gave me the chance!" Will shouted, but he didn't feel like he was going to be sick. He felt like he was in the boardroom and was about to cut someone down to size. "I was denied watching you getting bigger. I never got the chance to pick out baby clothes or baby stuff. I never got to go into the delivery room and film Alec being born. I never got to hold him or pick out his name. It might not have been Alec. He might have been a Will Jr. or William Steven or William Steven Timothy. I wasn't there for his first bath, his first taste of baby food, his first steps or his first words. I never got a chance to play with him or getting up in the middle of the night with him when he was hungry or sick or had gas or had teeth coming in. What _really_ hurts is knowing you cared so little about my feelings…"

"What feelings?! You don't care about anyone, but Will Traynor!"

"Yeah, you're right. I used to feel that way, but not anymore."

Alicia looked at him when she placed the palms of her hands on the table and leaned forward.

"Well, if you are that upset about it, why don't you do us all a favor and off yourself! I hear Dignitas is accepting applications," Alicia said as the courtroom became silent and Bernard and Steven had to restrain their wives from getting up and hitting her.

"That will be enough!" Randall said as they looked at him and he sat up a little straighter. "Mister Traynor, will you please take your wife and son and go."

"Yes, Milord," Will said as he flicked the joystick with his thumb and they headed for the door.

"Wait!" Alec said as he looked back at Alicia and she folded her arms across her chest. "I want to tell her one last thing."

"Whatever it is, I don't….," Alicia said then her eyes widened when Alec blew a raspberry at her and laughter filled the room.

"That's my boy," Will whispered as Alec sat back down then the guards opened the door and they left the room.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-nine

The bedroom was quiet as Will looked at the darkness and Louisa rested on her left side, looking at him. Louisa wondered what he was thinking as Will blinked and she moved some hair behind his right ear.

"Talk to me," Louisa said.

"I was just thinking about what Alicia said," Will said and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"For the last time, none of this was your fault."

"No, not about that."

"Are you talking about her wanting you to off yourself?"

"No."

"Then what did she say that has you all upset?"

"I am not a nice person."

Louisa felt the butterflies slamming around in her stomach as she sat up and turned the lights on.

"Are you having a laugh?" she asked.

"No, I'm not. You know what I'm like, Clark. Look at how I treated you."

"Ok, you were rude and crass with me, but you had your reasons. Once I found out what they were, I worked around them and found out how sweet and caring you really are," she said, tapping the tip of her finger on the tip of his nose. "I had settled for living the rest of my life here and not explore the world around me or even try to improve myself. I wasn't sure if anyone would love me after the hedge maze, so I settled for Patrick. He wasn't even _remotely_ interested in anything beyond having someone to have sex with or what mattered to him. Then there's Alec. From the moment you found out you might be a dad, you wanted him. It didn't matter if he was yours or not… It didn't matter if we could have kids of our own someday…. He needed someone and you chose to be that someone."

Will felt the tears in his eyes as he blinked and she leaned over to kiss his lips.

"Yeah," he said softly and she wiped the tears away with the pads of her thumbs. "But I am selfish."

"What are you being selfish about?"

"I kept secrets from you."

"Yeah, I did have to find out about Switzerland on my own, and I was shocked to learn about Alec, but those are the only secrets you've kept from me."

"There is one more."

"Oh."

Will looked at her slightly hurt look when he half closed his eyes and sighed before opening his eyes again.

"You see, I have been doing a lot of thinking since I decided not to go to Switzerland and Alec came into our lives. I never wanted to do anything which would improve my mobility or could repair the damage to my spine and neck. What was the point? Now? Now, I want to," he said with a sad look in his eyes.

"That's great!" she said with a smile. "What do you have in mind?"

"I have been doing some research, talked to people in that chatroom you've been going to…"

"How did you find out about that?"

"Ok, I have two more secrets. You left your laptop on one night and I introduced myself. Turns out they were happy to finally meet me."

She lightly laughed as he smiled and she kissed the side of his head.

"Did they recommend anything?" she asked.

"Well, one of them told me about this place called New Eden."

"What is New Eden?"

"It is a research center in Switzerland. They deal mostly in stem cell research…"

"I have heard of that."

"Well, according to their website, they are making great strides in stem cells and I think I could be a good candidate for treatment."

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"I wasn't sure if I was going to because we were in the middle of the trial."

"Like I wasn't going to say anything about my interview because I wasn't sure if you were going to Switzerland or not."

"Right," he said with a small nod. "If the trial went the way it did, I was planning on telling you, but, if it went in Alicia's favor, I wasn't going to say anything. See, even if you would be there for me… If my family, your family and Nathan would be there… Having Alec there would give me another reason to even try. Or he would be more support if it didn't work."

He went silent as he glanced up at the ceiling and she felt an ache in her chest.

"If that's not being selfish then I don't know what is," he said with a small sigh. She pushed the button so the head of the bed moved up slightly then she moved him closer and hugged him.

"Do you want to go to New Eden?" she whispered in his ear.

"Yes," he said with a small moan and she placed him against the pillows. She covered him with the blankets when she turned the light off, snuggled down next to him and placed her hand against his chest. "Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, I'm not mad at you," she said and lightly kissed his lips.

"Mama! Papa Bear!" made them look at the doorway when Louisa got up, helped Will into the wheelchair and they headed out of the room. Alec called for them again when they went into his room and he was sitting up under the blankets. He looked like he had been crying as she walked to the bed, moved the bedding back and picked him up. He was shaking and sniffing and she used a tissue to wipe his eyes and nose.

"Did you have a bad dream, Buddy?" Will asked and Alec nodded while Louisa gently rubbed Alec' back.

"Was it about the Bad Lady?" Louisa asked.

"Yeah. She took me away from you," Alec said in a small voice.

"Well, she can't do that," Will said, steering the wheelchair to them. "Neither can the Mean Lady or the Bad Man."

"He's not bad anymore."

"He's not?"

"No."

"Do you want to go sleep with me and Papa Bear?" Louisa asked.

"Uh-hunh," Alec said as they left the room. A few minutes later, Alec was snuggled down between Will and Louisa as she slid her arm around him and Alec held onto the sleeve of Will's pajamas top.

Nathan walked down the small hallway when he stopped and leaned on the doorway. He looked at Louisa, Alec and Will sleeping then he walked to the bed and lightly shook Louisa's shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked at him and he pointed to Alec. Louisa looked at Alec sleeping next to Will and his head was resting against Will's shoulder.

"Alec," she whispered, shaking his shoulder and Alec woke up. He glanced back at her as he yawned and snuggled closer to her.

"Morning, Mama," he whispered.

"Moring," Louisa said.

"Did you sneak in to sleep with them again, Little Mate?" Nathan asked.

"No, he had a bad dream," Louisa said and Nathan opened the night table drawer and removed the medical file and the medical equipment.

"I'm not surprised. How did you do the early morning routine?"

"She moved him." Will said with a sleepy tone and half opened his eyes.

"Oh, Nathan, did Will tell you about New Eden?" Louisa asked.

"He did mention it," Nathan said with a nod.

"But I told him not to say anything," Will said.

"What is New Eden?" Alec asked.

"New Eden is a place which tries to find ways to help people with Papa Bear's condition," Louisa said and he looked at Will.

"Like what?"

"They find new medications to make sure I don't get sick or they develop new surgeries which might fix the damage to my back and neck," Will said.

"Oh," he said, elongating the "o".

"So, do you want me to send your information to see if they can help you?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, I do," Will said, barely nodding his head.

"Ok, I'll send it after we do this."

"Thanks."

"Right," Louisa said as she moved the bedding back and she got out of bed. "Why don't we go get you ready for school then you can help me make breakfast?"

"Can we have pancakes for breakfast?" Alec asked while she picked him up.

"Sure," she said and Will watched them leave the room. Nathan started examining Will when he noticed the look in Will's eyes and Will arched his eyebrows up.

"What?" Will asked.

"I'm just trying to picture your mother's face when we tell her about New Eden," Nathan said.

"We have to see if I get in first."

"Right," he said then went back to examining Will.

A week later, Camilla and a young man with blonde hair and green eyes walked down the hallway and Camilla held the folder in her hands. Her heels clicked on the tile flooring as they followed the guard to the visitation area and she nodded as he opened the glass door. Timothy sat on the chair across from her as she and the young man sat down at the table and Timothy sat up a little straighter. He recognized his new solicitor as he nodded to him then looked at Camilla.

"Hello, Timothy," she said.

"Hello," Timothy said.

"How are you being treated?"

"I have had some rough patches, but nothing I can't handle."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"How are William and Alec?"

"They are fine. Though Alec has been having nightmares."

"Oh," he said, lowering his head for a few seconds then looked up. "Why are you here?"

"I am here to show you this," she said as she slid a piece of paper out of the folder then moved the piece of paper toward him and the guard standing behind Timothy looked at the information. Timothy read the information, glancing at her from time to time, when he placed the piece of paper on the table and slid the piece of paper to his solicitor, who picked up the piece of paper and started reading.

"I'm surprised you were able to do this so quickly," Timothy said, folding his arms over his chest.

"Did you really think I would have a problem?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head.

"You are asking my client to sign over all rights and claim to his grandson?" Jason Conroy asked, looking at her.

"Yes," Camilla said.

"And, by doing so, I will have supervised visitations with him once I am out of prison," Timothy said.

"If he wishes to see you."

"Did Jane and Alicia agree to sign this?"

"It took some…convincing, but, in the end, they did sign. Though they will not be allowed to see him once they are released from prison."

Timothy strummed his fingers on the top of the table for a few seconds while thinking things through then held out his hand and she gave him a pen. Jason handed him the piece of paper as Timothy wrote his name where it was marked then slid the piece of paper to her. Camilla checked the signatures as she stood up and turned, walking away. She stopped when she looked back at him, walked back to the table and placed a stack of photographs covered with a rubber band on the table. She walked away when Timothy removed the rubber band and looked at the photos of Alec, Alec and Will and Alec, Will and Louisa.

"Don't make me regret giving these to you," she said then left the room and her heels clicked on the tile flooring.

Louisa straightened his tie as Will smiled at her and she brushed the hair from his eyes. Will was glad Georgina had been able to stay after the trial was over and Louisa's family had agreed to come to dinner.

"There," she said as she lightly patted his chest and he gave her a pleased look.

"Thank you, Clark," Will said. Alec walked in the room while holding onto his hard leather shoes and Louisa smiled at him.

"Mama, will you please help me put my shoes on?" Alec asked, holding up his shoes.

"Of course," she said and he went to sit on the bed. She helped him with his shoes and he got off the bed. He carefully climbed onto his papa's lap as Will flicked the joystick with his finger and they left the room. They headed down the passageway when they arrived at the kitchen and Amanda and Cook looked at them.

"My, don't all of you look grand?!" Cook said.

"Thank you," Will said and they headed for the dining room. He knew his family, as well as Louisa's family, would be wondering why they had asked them over for dinner and Georgina looked toward the doorway.

"Mother, do have any idea what is going on?" Georgina asked. She had the same apprehensive feeling she had when Will told them about Switzerland and she took a long sip of wine.

"If you'll just be a little more patient, Georgie, I'll tell you," Will said. They headed for the table when Louisa placed Alec in the booster seat and Will parked the wheelchair.

"Are you feeling alright, Love?" Josie asked. She also had been wondering what was going on and she didn't like the serious look on Louisa's face.

"Yes, I'm fine," Will said while Louisa sat down and placed her hand on top of his hand. "Though what I wish to speak to you about has something to do with my health."

"Oh my god! That is what you said the last time," Georgina said.

"It's not that serious."

"Then will you please tell us?" Camilla asked. She had been worried about Will's mental health during the trial and Will glanced at them with his eyes.

"Have any of you heard of New Eden?" Will finally asked.

"Yes, it's a research facility in Zurich," Steven said.

"What do they research?" Bernard asked.

"They research cures as well as other things for people with Will's condition as well as other neurological conditions."

"You mean like finding a way for Will to move again?" Treena asked.

"Yes," he said with a nod of his head.

"One of the things I'm interested in is their research with stem cells," Will said.

"What are stem cells?" Josie asked. Nathan gave a brief explanation as her eyes slightly widened and her mouth opened.

"Have you sent them your information?" Camilla asked.

"I have," Will said, barely nodding his head. "Though I was worried I would be rejected due to how long it's been since my accident."

"Have they accepted you?"

"Yes, they have."

Will noticed the air in the room had changed as he waited for someone to say something when Georgina stood, walked to him and slid her arms around his shoulders. He leaned his head against hers as she gently squeezed him and he grinned.

"Are you going to tickle me?" he whispered.

"I should," she whispered as she kissed the side of his head then went to sit down.

"When are they going to do the tests?" Steven asked.

"The soonest they could schedule them is the twelfth of August," Nathan said.

"I see," Camilla said, taking a long sip of wine. She could see by the look in the other's eyes that the date meant something else when she lifted the little silver bell and rang the bell for the meal to be served. They ate in silence as Will glanced at Louisa and she gave him a reassuring smile, lightly patting his hand.

_Zurich, Switzerland_

The van moved down the street while Louisa looked out the window and watched the scenery go by. She had contacted the head master and told them about Will's surgery and the head master informed her she could delay the start of her classes.

"_Are you sure it will be alright?"_

"_Yes, we have had students delay the start of their classes for one reason or another."_

"_Thank you!"_

"_You're welcome. Besides, we can't afford to lose one of our best students."_

She had been shocked when he said that, but they did agree that Alec needed to stay at home until Will was going to have his surgery.

"_But I want to go with you!"_

"_I know, Buddy, but all they're going to do is run tests."_

"_Like when you do your reevaluation?"_

"_Yeah, like that."_

"_And you are going to be there when Papa Bear has his surgery."_

"_Mama's right. I would be really, really, really, really scared if you weren't there."_

"_I don't want you to be scared."_

"_Then I'll see you in a few days."_

The van came to a stop in front of the hotel as Nathan opened the door and got out of the van. He walked to the back of the van when he opened the doors and Will looked at him. Nathan went to unlock the wheelchair as he got out of the van and Will flicked the joystick with his finger. The wheelchair stopped on the small lift as Nathan locked the wheelchair into place then pushed the button. After they got Will out of the van, they went inside the hotel and Louisa placed her hand on Will's shoulder.

New Eden was located on the outside of the city. The four-story building was made a white brick with large windows and the windows were outlined in black. Smaller buildings stood next to the main building and a white brick wall surrounded the facility. The landscape was well kept with manicured lawns and trees and a long drive led up to the main building.

The van approached the gate when a security guard walked out of the guard station and walked to the van. Nathan told the guard their names as the guard looked at the list of names and nodded. The guard walked back to the guard station when the gate slowly opened and the van headed down the long drive.

"If this was a horror movie, this would be when the scary music would start," Will teased and Louisa turned to look at him.

"You are such a knob head," she said as she turned around and Nathan laughed. The van stopped in front of the main building as Nathan got out and, a few minutes later, they went inside. They headed for the reception desk while the blonde hair receptionist smiled at them and sat up a little straighter in the chair.

"Good morning. Welcome to New Eden," she said.

"Hello. I am William Traynor," Will said and she typed on the keyboard while she looked at the screen.

"Oh. Yes. Wait a second," she said and she picked up the receiver. She pushed the buttons while Louise admired how the lobby was decorated as she placed her hand on Will's shoulder. The receptionist placed the receiver down then looked at them. "Doctor Odinsen will be right with you."

"Thank you."

After a short wait, a tall man with black hair sprinkled with gray and white hair approached them and Will looked at him. Doctor Lars Odinsen had a handsome face with shiny green eyes and a lean, but muscular build and Doctor Odinsen pushed up the wire rim glasses.

"Good morning," Lars said. Will noticed he had a Nordic accent instead of a Swedish accent and he arched his eyebrows slightly.

"Good morning," Will said with a small nod then glanced at Louisa. "This is my wife, Louisa, and my caregiver, Nathan."

"Hello," Lars said then pointed with his hand toward the side hallway. "This way."

They headed down the small hallway while Louise looked at the posters on the walls and Will pressed his lips into a thin line.

"If you don't mind me asking," Will started then paused. "You from Norway, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am from Oslo originally, but have been working here for the last twenty years."

"Uh… Has anyone teased you about you last name?"

"Oh yes!" he said with a laugh. "What makes it worse is the nickname."

"Let me guess. They call you "Thor"?"

"No. Loki."

Will grinned as the dimples dented his cheeks and they headed around the corner.

_12 August_

Will felt like he was floating while Louisa brushed the hair from his eyes and he blinked. Alec was looking at the heart monitor screen while sitting on the bed next to Will and Will's left hand was sitting on his lap. The rest of the family was waiting out in the family waiting room and they had each come to visit him before the surgery.

"I'm scared," Will said in a soft voice.

"You're going to be fine," Louisa said, lightly kissing his lips.

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Papa Bear, when will you know if you can move again?" Alec asked and Will glanced at him.

"I'm not really sure," Will said then made a little moan. "I was yawning."

"I know."

Will felt his eyelids growing heavy as the interns and a nurse entered the room and Louisa picked Alec off the bed. The nurse examined Will then she wrote the information in the chart and looked at Louisa.

"It's time," the nurse said. Louisa and Alec watched while the interns moved the bed out of the room and they followed the bed out of the room. They went down the hallway as Louisa looked at their family standing near the doorway to the family waiting room and she nodded. The lift doors opened as the nurse led the interns and the bed inside the lift and Will could barely see Louisa and Alec.

"I love you," Will said.

"We love you, too," Louisa said as the lift doors closed and she hugged Alec.

_**A/N: Will the surgery work?! Stay tuned!**_


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

A soft beeping sound alerted him he was awake while Will slowly opened his eyes and blinked. He saw the room was dark except for the dim light of the heart monitor screen and the light from the tiny window in the door and he glanced over at the heart monitor screen. He watched the green lines while the door opened and the nurse walked in the room. The light from the hallway helped her walk to the bed when she removed the chart from the holder and she opened the chart.

"Hello," she said with a grin and started examining him. Will watched her then sighed and he parted his lips. His throat felt a little scratchy, so he cleared his throat and rubbed his teeth with his tongue.

"Where…? Where is my wife?" he asked with a gravelly voice.

"She is right over there," she said, turning to see Louisa sleeping on the small couch. She placed the chart back in the holder, walked to the couch and gently shook Louisa's shoulder.

"What's wrong!?" Louisa asked in a sleepy tone as she woke and sat up.

"He's awake," the nurse said, looking at the bed. Louisa got up when she half-ran to the bed and Will gave her a sleepy smile.

"Hey," he said and Louisa moved the hair out of his eyes.

"I told you you'd be fine," Louisa said in a soft voice, kissing his lips.

"Yeah, you did."

"How do you feel?"

"Sleepy."

"Then go back to sleep."

"Where's Alec?"

"He's at the hotel."

Will made a tiny moan while his eyes closed and the nurse checked his vitals then looked at her and Louisa cared the top of his head.

"He's asleep," the nurse said and Louisa nodded. She watched the nurse leave the room as the nurse closed the door and Louisa sat on the edge of the bed. She could barely see Will sleeping as she took his right hand, wrapped their fingers together and she blinked the tears from her eyes.

The days passed while Will went in and out of consciousness and would stay awake long enough to have visitors.

"Do you think he'll like it?" Alec asked while he held onto the teddy bear with tan plush fur and the teddy bear was wearing light blue surgical scrubs.

"He'll love it," Louisa said, opening the door and they went in the room. She stopped short when she saw the empty bed and her heart sped up.

"Mama, where's Papa Bear?!"

"Excuse me," the intern said, making them back up and the interns moved the gurney by them. Will was lying on his side with his eyes closed and the interns carefully slid him onto the bed after Louisa moved the bedding back. She moved the blankets back up while Will opened his eyes and he looked at her.

"Hi," he said and she cared his hair.

"What happened?" Louisa asked, looking at the interns.

"Nothing. We just took him for some tests," the intern said. The interns led the gurney out of the room while Louisa sat on the edge of the bed and Alec climbed onto the chair.

"Here," Alec said and Louisa took the teddy bear. Will looked at the teddy bear while the dimples dented his cheeks from his grin and Louisa slid the teddy bear under his right hand. He could just feel the soft fur with his thumb and finger as he barely moved them and Alec grinned. "Do you like it?"

"Oh yeah," Will said, barely nodding. The door opened while Nathan and Devon walked in the room and headed for the bed.

"Hello," Devon said. Alec got off the chair while she walked to the chair and sat down. She looked at the teddy bear then at Will and lightly arched her eyebrows up. "How are you?"

"I'm doing ok. Still can't feel or move anything other than my head and two fingers."

"Come on, Mate. You can't expect miracles overnight," Nathan said. Will nodded when he noticed the look in Devon's eyes and he frowned.

"Is there something wrong?" Will asked.

"As far as your case is concerned, no," Devon said with a shake of her head. "Though my boss is wondering when you want to petition for adoption."

"I was thinking of doing that after I found out if this worked or not."

"I thought that might be the case. That's why I have checked and there are a few openings in Family Court in November."

"Why do we have to go to court?" Alec asked and Will looked at him.

"You know you and I have different last names, right?" Will asked.

"Yeah, but Lady said my last name is Traynor when I go to school."

"Well, we need to go to court so we can legally have the same last name."

"Like when Mama changed her name after you got married?"

"No, that was different," Louisa said and Will grinned at her.

"Oh," Alec said, elongating the "o".

"Do you want to do that?" Will asked.

"Yeah!"

Will gave him an amused look then looked at Devon and wondered why she was still upset.

"_It's none of your business,"_ he thought as a sharp pain moved over the fingers of his right hand then up his lower arm and his eyes widened.

"Will, what's wrong?!" Louisa asked.

"My right arm hurts," Will said with a small grunt and the fingers of his right hand started twitching. Louisa had seen his finger move like that when Will would get a muscle spasm in his hand or arm and Nathan ran out of the room. Will also knew how painful it was when his hand or arm spasmed, but this felt different. He wasn't sure, but he thought he could feel the soft plush fur of the teddy bear with his whole hand. "Clark, move the bear."

Louisa removed the teddy bear.

"Hold my hand."

Louisa didn't understand as she took his right hand and wrapped their fingers together. Will fought through the pain as he focused on his hand and fingers and he blinked his eyes a few times.

He could just feel her holding his hand.

The nurse and Nathan ran back in the room when the nurse removed the chart from the holder at the foot of the bed.

"Please move," the nurse said.

"No," he said, looking at Louisa. "Clark, don't let go of my hand."

"Why?" Louisa asked.

"I think I can just feel your hand."

Louisa felt the butterflies soaring around her stomach while she looked at Will's hand and his thumb made a jerky motion over her index finger. His index finger twitched up and down then his middle finger moved then his ring finger then his little finger. She placed her hand over his fingers while he looked at her and she smiled.

"I need to examine him," the nurse said and Louisa let go of Will's hand, moving back. They watched the nurse examine Will as his fingers and hand twitched and the pain nearly made him cross-eyed.

"Can't you give him something for the pain?" Devon asked.

"I can, but his doctor wants examine his hand," the nurse said while Lars quickly entered the room and headed for the bed. He picked up Will's right hand as the fingers twitched and he looked at Will.

"Can you feel me holding your hand?" Lars asked.

"I think so," Will said while his fingers and hand calmed down and the pain slowly faded.

"Can you feel it when I do this?"

Lars moved Will's index finger up and down and Will made a smile grin.

"That's the finger which works," Will teased and Louisa gently ruffled his hair.

"Be nice," she whispered.

"No, that's fine," Lara said, moving Will's thumb. Will barely nodded his head while Lars moved Will's middle finger up and down and Will felt the finger move over Lars' palm. "Can you feel that?"

"Yes, a little bit," Will said. Lards moved Will's ring finger then the little finger and Will blinked the tears from his eyes.

He could feel him moving his fingers.

"Papa Bear?" Alec asked and Will glanced at him.

"I can feel my fingers," Will said, beaming. Gasping, Louisa hugged her husband as she kissed the side of his head and Alec cheered, jumping up and down.

"Hold it," Lars said as he removed a long pin out of a container in his lab coat pocket and Will arched his eyebrows up. Lars took hold of Will's hand as he poked the tip of the pin against Will's palm then the pads of his fingers and Will could just feel the pin. "Can you feel that?"

"Slightly," he said and Lars nodded, putting the pin back in the container. Lars wrote the information down in the chart when he walked to the other side of the bed and Devon moved back. Lars picked up Will's left hand, but Will couldn't feel him moving his fingers. Lars saw the sadness in his eyes as he nodded and gently placed Will's hand down.

"Well, it looks like you're going to need to increase your physio," Lars said with a grin.

"Will he need to wear a brace?" Nathan said.

"Yes. I will see if I can get him one. But, right now, I want you to go to sleep," he said, looking at Will.

"I am tired," Will sighed.

"Let's go," Louisa said, picking Alec up and they headed for the door. Lars and Nathan followed her out of the room, but Devon stayed behind and Will looked at her. She sat down as he waited for her to talk and she looked at her hands. His fingers twitched a bit as she placed her hand on top and he could just feel her fingers moving over his fingers.

"I can sort of feel that," Will said as a serious look moved over his face. "Tell me what's wrong."

Devon felt herself shutting down when she sighed and he arched his eyebrows up.

"I got a letter yesterday."

"Who was it from?"

"It was from a private investigator."

"What did he want?"

"It turns out my sister hired him to find me."

"Wow," he said with a cat-like sound, but she shook her head and he frowned. "Aren't you happy?"

"I was, then I wondered if this was some sort of scam. Why would she want to contact me? Why now? I talked it over with Nathan and he suggested I contact the private investigator."

"I could ask my mother to run a check on him if you'd like."

Devon was still stunned with how much Will, Nathan and Louisa cared about her as the door opened and a nurse walked in the room.

"I am sorry, but Mister Traynor does need rest," she said and Devon nodded, standing up. Devon walked to the door when she opened the door, turned and looked at Will.

"Let me talk with your mom," she said and he barely nodded. She left the room while the nurse examined Will and he noticed something sitting on the small table near the bed.

"What is that?" he asked. The nurse wrote the information in the chart when she picked up something made with soft leather straps and metal rods connected with elastic bands.

"This is a hand brace Doctor Odinsen wants you to wear."

The nurse carefully took Will's right hand as he watched her place the brace on his hand and he just feel the tension of the elastic bands. She held his hand up so he could see the brace better and he slowly wiggled his index finger and thumb. He concentrated as his middle finger barely twitched, but his little finger and ring finger stayed still. The nurse placed his hand down as she gave him something for the pain and he slowly closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

"Do it again," Georgina said while she sat on the edge of the bed and Will gave her a smug look. A month and a half had passed since his treatment and he had gotten use to the brace. Will looked at his hand as his index finger bent to touch his palm and his thumb folded over his index finger. His middle finger moved half way down while his ring finger and his little finger bent a bit then he straightened his fingers. "This is amazing!"

"Yeah, it is," he said, flexing his fingers and she noticed the look in his eyes.

"Will, what's wrong?"

"I guess I miss Louisa and Alec. Oh, I know they had to go home so they don't miss any of their classes…"

"Look, it's not like they have abandoned you."

"I know that."

"Then think of the looks of surprise on their faces when they see how much you've improved," she teased and the dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled. He looked at the ceiling when a sharp pain moved through his left hand up his lower arm. Georgina noticed his fingers twitching as he moaned and she pushed the call button.

"Not again," Will growled as the pain increased and he whimpered.

"What should I do?!"

"Hold my hand."

Georgina took her brother's left hand as his fingers twitched and he concentrated. He could barely feel her holding his hand as he grinned and she lightly squeezed his hand. The nurse and Lars entered the room while the nurse took the chart out of the holder at the foot of the bed and Georgina moved out of the way. Lars took hold of Will's left hand while the fingers twitched and he looked at Will.

"Can you feel it when I do this?" Lars said when he gently moved Will's index finger up and down and rubbed Will's finger with the pad of his thumb.

"Yeah. A little bit," Will said with a grunt. Lars put Will's hand down so the nurse could examine Will then she wrote the information in the chart. Lars picked up Will's left hand when he moved Will's thumb up and down then pressed his thumb with his fingers. "I can just feel that."

"Good," Lars said when he moved Will's middle finger then his ring finger then his little finger and Georgina held Will's right hand. "Try moving your fingers."

He held up Will's left hand so he could see while Will concentrated on his index finger and his left index finger twitched up and down. He clenched his teeth and his index finger bent toward the palm of his hand. He could just feel his index finger straighten as Georgina grinned and she leaned over to kissed the top of his head. Will looked at his thumb while he concentrated and his thumb bent in toward his palm then straightened. His middle finger slightly bent down then his ring finger, but his little finger didn't move.

"Damn," Will sighed, rolling his eyes.

"No, that's fine,": Lars said, placing Will's left hand down and the nurse handed him the hand brace. Lars placed the hand brace on Will's left hand then Lars wrote the information in the chart and the nurse placed the chart in the holder. Will stayed silent when the nurse left the room and Will looked at the ceiling. Georgina saw the tears in the corners of his eyes while she carded the top of his head and Will sighed.

"Knock it off," she whispered and he glanced at her. The nurse returned with a syringe when she handed the syringe to Lars and he injected the pain relief into Will's arm. They left the room when Georgina walked to the table where she had put her purse, removed her phone from her purse, walked back to the bed, sat down on the edge of the bed and placed his right hand in her lap.

"What are you doing?" Will finally asked, glancing at her.

"I am sending a text," she said with a blank look and moved her thumb over the keyboard.

Louisa listened to the professor as she took notes, but her mind kept flashing back to Will. She saw the hurt look on his face after she and Alec had told him goodbye. His eyes were dull. Like they were when they met. She hoped he wasn't going to give up. Sighing, she placed her chin in her hand when her phone vibrated and she looked at it. She had placed the phone on silent. Glancing at the professor, she slid the phone into her hand and placed her hand in her lap. She tapped the screen when she saw she had a text from Georgina and the butterflies in her stomach swirled around in a whirlwind. She tapped the screen when she opened the text and looked at the text.

**Will can move the fingers on his left hand! – G**

Louisa read the text three times when she grinned and shouted "Yes!" while raising her arms in the air.

"Mrs. Traynor!" her professor said in a curt tone and she shrunk down in her chair.

"Sorry, Sir," she said.

"Do you mind telling the class what caused such an outburst?"

"I was just told my husband can move the fingers on his left hand."

"That is all well and good, but I do_ not_ like my class being interrupted."

"Yes, Sir," she said, nodding, placing the phone on the desk and her friend sitting to her right gave her a quick low five.

"That's wonderful, Love!" Josie said while placing a cup of tea down in front of Louisa and Louisa looked at the cup. She had picked Alec from school before going to her parents' house and she was happy to see Treena and Thomas were home. She had called to check to see if Camilla, Nathan and Steven had been told about Will and they said Georgina had text them after she had text Louisa.

"Yeah, it is, but…," Louisa said then sighed. Josie placed the plate of chocolate chip biscuits on the table when she sat next to her and placed her hand on top of Louisa's hand.

"Lou…

"I should have been there."

"You were there when he moved the fingers of his right hand."

"I should be there for everything!" she said, picking up a biscuit, but she held it too tightly and the biscuit crumbled onto the plate. "Sorry."

Josie wrapped her arms around her daughter as Louisa leaned her head against hers and Josie rocked her. Louisa's phone started ringing when they parted and Louisa picked up the phone. A photo of Wil smiled at her as she pushed the button and held the phone to her right ear.

"Will?"

"Hi," Will's voice said. "Did you read Georgie's text?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Well?"

"Do you know how badly I want to hug you right now?"

"Just as badly as I want to hug you."

"We are so proud of you!" Josie said and Louisa heard Will laugh.

"I'm proud of me, too," he said after Louisa lowered the phone and Josie smiled.

"What did Doctor Odinsen say?" Louisa asked.

"He said I will need more physio and, hopefully, I will regain the use of my arms."

"Fantastic!" Josie said.

"Does he still want you to stay at the center?" Louisa asked.

"For a few more weeks. Then I can go home." Will said and Louisa felt her heart speed up.

"Hold on," she said when she handed Josie the phone then got up, leaving the room.

"Clark?"

"I think she went to get Alec," Josie said. Louisa led Alec, Bernard, Thomas, Treena and Granddad into the kitchen as Josie handed her the phone and Louisa sat down, placing Alec on her lap.

"Clark?" Will's voice asked again as Louisa held the phone in her hand and Alec looked at the phone.

"Hi, Papa Bear," Alec said.

"Hey, Buddy."

"Lou said you have news for us," Bernard said.

"Did she tell you I can move the fingers of my right hand?"

"Yes, she did," Treena said.

"Now I can move the fingers of my left hand!"

"Fantastic!" Bernard said and Thomas and Alec cheered.

"When are you coming home?" Treena asked.

"It'll be a few more weeks. My doctor wants to see if I will be able to move my arms," Will said.

"I'm sure you will," Josie said with a grin then they heard a small groan. "Will?"

"I was yawning."

"Then you better get some sleep. You've been through enough for one day."

All of them heard the stern tone of her voice as Treena and Louisa smiled at each other and Will sighed.

"Yes, Mum," he said then the call ended and Louisa pushed the button. She looked at the phone for a few seconds then she placed the phone on the table and hugged Alec.

A few weeks later, Will laid under the covers and Louisa held his right hand up so he could look at his hand. He still couldn't feel or move his arms, but Lars said he could schedule another treatment if Will wanted one.

"I feel like Pinocchio," Will sighed and she wrapped her fingers around his. He slowly lowered his fingers and she lightly kissed his knuckles.

"And what happened to Pinocchio?" she asked.

"He became a real boy," he said with a small laugh. "I just wish it didn't hurt so much."

"Doctor Odinsen explained why."

"He said something about synaptic impulses and other stuff, but I still don't get it."

Will looked at the brace when he blinked and barely arched his head to one side.

"Clark, does this change things between us?"

"Why would it?"

"Well, soon I'll be able to do things for myself."

"So?"

"I guess I'll miss having you do things for me."

Louisa carefully slid on top of him after she placed his hand down and placed her arms on his chest then her chin on the back of her hands.

"Listen, I have told you before, you being able to move or not doesn't matter. I love you and I always will," she said, arching her eyebrows up.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

She saw the look in his eyes. She had given him the medication to help him have sex and she moved closer to his lips. She helped him use his hands to touch her when tears appeared in the corners of his eyes and he sent a prayer of thanks for regaining the use of his hands.


	41. Chapter 41

_**A/N: The first part of this chapter is about Devon and we learn something about what happened to Will that day in the rain.**_

Chapter Forty-one

The sound of her heels clicking on the tile floor caused her to walk faster as Devon felt a knot growing in her stomach and she glanced over at Nathan. She had agreed to meet with her brother and sister, but she didn't want to meet them alone. Her hair was done in a tight bun and she wore one of her dark business suit jackets, a white blouse, a dark skirt, nude hose and dark shoes. Nathan was always impressed with how wearing her glasses changed her face and he silently hoped her seeing her brother and sister would be a happy occasion.

"How is Will doing?" broke his train of thought as Nathan looked at Devon and he scratched the back of his neck.

"He's improving. Still can't fully bend the little finger on his left hand though," Nathan said.

"Does the doctor know why he's having trouble?"

"He thinks there might be a pinched nerve. He wants to have an x-ray done to see if that's the case."

"How is Lou dealing with everything?"

"She's loving it. She lets him try to do things on his own and she encourages him if it doesn't happen."

"And Alec? How is he doing?"

"He bought Will one of those boxes of big crayons and he helping Will try to color."

Devon smiled at the idea of Will holding one of those large crayons she remembered using as a toddler and lightly shook her head. They stopped in front of the door when she looked at the nameplate on the door and sighed.

**Gregory Malcolm – Private Investigations **was printed on the nameplate and Devon placed her hand on the door handle, opening the door. They walked inside as the receptionist looked at them and sat up straighter in the chair.

"Hello, I am Devon Sharpe," Devon said.

"Oh, yes, Mister Malcolm is expecting you," the reception said while she stood up and walked to the door. She knocked on the inner door then went into the office and Nathan went to sit on the couch.

"You're going in with me, right?" Devon asked.

"Yeah," he said as she sat next to him and they waited. The receptionist returned a few seconds later as she walked to them and smiled, placing her hands in front of her.

"He's ready to see you," she said and they stood up. Devon led the way as they went in the office and the receptionist closed the door behind them. Devon glanced around the room with her eyes when she looked at the tall man with graying brown hair and deep-set brown eyes and he was wearing a gray suit, a white shirt a black leather belt, black socks and black leather shoes. He was standing in front of the large desk and he held his hand out toward her.

"Hello, I am Gregory Malcolm. You must be Miss Sharpe," he said, but Devon didn't accept his hand.

"Where are they?" she asked with a cold tone and he lowered his hand.

"They are in the next room," he said then looked at Nathan. "Who is this? Is he your solicitor?"

"Why do you ask? Do I need a solicitor?"

"Uh, no, you don't."

Nathan noticed she was shutting down as he sighed and slid his hand around her hand,

"I'm Miss Sharpe's boyfriend," Nathan said and Gregory nodded.

"Shall we get this over with?" Devon asked and Gregory walked to the door to his right. He opened the door when he nodded and two people walked in the room. Devon noticed the woman looked like her, but was a little heavier and the male looked exactly like her father.

"Devon!?' the woman asked with a sense of joy in her voice.

"Yes, I am Devon Sharpe."

"_Uh boy,"_ Nathan thought as he saw the puzzled look on their faces.

"Aren't you glad to see us?" the man asked.

"I don't know who you are," Devon said and they looked at Gregory.

"You told us she wanted to meet us," the woman said.

"I said I would meet_ with _you. Now that I have, I want to know what you want," Devon said.

"Are you sure this is the right Devon?" the man asked.

"According to my research, yes, she is," Gregory said.

"Dev, it's me! It's Annie!" Annie Walker said, walking to her.

"I do remember having a sister name Annie," Devon said with a nod. "But he could have told you that."

"This is ridiculous!" the man said as he looked at Annie. "Sis, this isn't her. Devon wouldn't act this way."

"How do you know how I would act? Do you have _any_ idea what I went through? What my brother and sister went through? We lived in_ fear_. We had to live day after day with a _monster_. We watched our mother being_ beaten_. We had to sleep in _one_ room because we feared he would come in and either kill us or do something far worse. I slept with a _knife_ under my pillow."

Nathan saw she was breathing hard as tears rolled down her cheeks and he squeezed her hand. Annie looked at her brother, John Landon, and he nodded.

"Wobble," Annie said and Devon frowned.

"What did you say?" Devon asked.

"Wobble. Do you remember what that was?"

"You tell me."

"Wobble was this monster we made to protect us from Father," John said.

"It guarded the door and it was to kill him if he came in," Annie said. Nathan was stunned as he looked from them to Devon and Devon gave them a cold look.

"Here," John said after he removed a piece of paper from his suit jacket pocket and handed the piece of paper to Devon. She looked at the piece of paper when she slowly opened the piece of paper and looked at the drawing. The drawing was of three frightened children under a bed while a large purple creature with orange eyes, sharp claws and sharp teeth stood near a door and was eating what looked like a man. **WOBBLE** was under the drawing and the names John, Annie and Dev was written in the corner.

"Devon?" Nathan asked as she looked at the drawing and the piece of paper shook. She dropped the piece of paper on the floor as she looked at Annie and John and she breathed hard through her nose. Her lower lip quivered as they quickly walked to her and wrapped their arms around her. Devon shook her head as she held them and Annie hushed her. Gregory nodded his head toward the door as Nathan followed him out of the room, turned and saw her smiling at him. Nathan gave her a wink then he left the room and Devon blinked the tears from her eyes.

"Damn it," Will whispered as the soft rubber ball fell out of his right hand onto the floor and Alec reached down, placing the soft rubber ball back in his papa's hand.

"Try it again," Louisa said as Will sighed and he looked at the soft rubber ball. She had adjusted the tension on the brace as he felt the flexible bands resisting him bending his fingers to squeeze the soft rubber ball and he slid his tongue out between his teeth. He concentrated as his fingers moved and he squeezed the soft rubber ball. He repeated the move four more times when Alec removed the soft rubber ball, walked to the other side of the wheelchair then he placed the soft rubber ball in Will's left hand.

"Now you have to do this hand," Alec reminded him and Will smiled. He was enjoying having Alec involved in his physio and Will looked at the soft rubber ball.

"What if I don't want to?" Will asked.

"Then you can't have ice cream afterwards."

"But I want ice cream."

"Then you have to squeeze the ball."

Louisa tried hard not to laugh as Will gave Alec a hurt look, rolled his eyes and Will sighed.

"Ok," Will said and concentrated. His thumb and three fingers bent around the soft rubber ball, but his little finger stuck out and he looked at his little finger. Louisa removed the soft rubber ball when she placed it on his lap and she held his hand in her hand. "This is ridiculous."

"Doctor Odinsen said we'll know more once we have the x-ray done," she said and he barely nodded his head.

"Papa Bear, can I try something?" Alec asked.

"What do you want to do?" Will asked.

"Nan says when Sir's fingers get stiff, he cracks his knuckles. Can I do that to you?"

"You want to crack my knuckles?"

"Please?"

Will thought for a few seconds then he nodded his head and Alec took hold of Will's little finger. He didn't want to hurt his papa when Alec bent Will's little finger toward his palm then he pushed on Will's little finger. Will admitted it hurt as Louisa moved Alec' hand back then she pushed down on Will's little finger. A low popping sound came from the knuckle as Will felt his little finger numb over and she let go. Will concentrated when his little finger twitched then bent toward his palm and he looked at them.

"No. It can't be that easy," Will said with a slightly stunned look and straightened his little finger.

"See, I knew it would work," Alec said and Louisa hugged him.

"I think someone is getting extra whip cream on his ice cream," Will said and Alec giggled. Louisa placed the soft rubber ball back in Will's left hand as he looked at the soft rubber ball and he smiled.

"Hello," came from the hallway as Nathan walked in the room and smiled. "Ah, there you are."

"Where's Devon?" Louisa asked.

"She's in the main room."

"How did it go?" Will asked. Nathan had told them about Devon meeting her brother and sister and Nathan looked back at the hallway.

"Come and find out," he said. Louisa put the soft rubber ball away when Will flicked the joystick with his finger and they left the room. They headed for the main room while Devon sat on the couch with Annie and John and Will steered the wheelchair to the couch.

"Hello," Will said, looking at John and Annie.

"Hello," John said, but Annie just stared. Will was used to people staring at him as he blinked and Alec climbed onto his papa's lap. "Who's this?"

"This is my son, Alec."

"How old are you?"

"I'm four, but I'm turning five in December," Alec said. Will noticed the look on Annie's face as he arched his eyebrows down and he was wondering why she looked so upset.

"I guess I better make some introductions." Devon said, sitting a little straighter. "This is my brother, John, and this is my sister, Annie. This is Will Traynor and his wife, Louisa."

"Does anyone want some tea?" Louisa asked.

"Yes, that would be nice," John said and Annie nodded. Nathan sat next to Devon while Louisa went into the kitchen and John looked at the braces on Will's hands. "Um, I hope you don't mind, but what's with the braces?"

"I recently regained the use of my hands," Will said and John nodded.

"He told Mama he feels like Pinocchio," Alec said and Will rolled his eyes as he softly laughed.

"Thank you, Jiminy Cricket," Will teased and Nathan, Devon and John laughed. Annie just looked at Will and Alec when she got up and they looked at her.

"Where is the guest bathroom?" she asked.

"It's down the hall. First door on the left," Will said. She nodded then quickly walked away and Devon looked at John.

"Sorry," John said with a sigh. "She is normally not like that."

"I understand. Most people are not comfortable around someone like me," Will said. Annie returned in time for Louisa to bring out the tea and some biscuits and Will looked at the glass with the protein shake. She served the tea when she handed the glass to Alec and Alec helped Will take a drink. Louisa sat on the chair near the couch as she sipped on the tea then smiled at John and Annie.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to know how you two found each other again," Louisa said.

"It's a rather amusing story," John said, sipping on the tea. "After the courts separated us, I went to live with a family in Manchester. They had taken in foster kids before. The dad was a child psychiatrist and he was a big help with me dealing with what happened. Don't get me wrong. I missed my sisters. But I also realized this was my chance for a better life. Over time, I wondered what had happened to them. Were they still alive? Were they safe? Were they happy? So, I went to the courthouse and asked them if they knew where Dev and Annie were. They said the files were sealed, but I had a court order."

"When did you do this?" Will asked.

"It was three years ago."

"Then they should have let you look at the files."

"That is what I told them. After I showed them the court order, they let me see Annie's file, but it seems they had lost Dev's file."

"They said it was a filing error," Devon said.

"Which is why you had to hire a private investigator to find her," Louisa said and John nodded.

"Now, here is the amusing part," John said, smiling. "It turns out Annie works at the same advertising agency I do. We had passed each other in the hallway tons of times, but never really noticed each other."

"Wow," Will said with a cat-like tone and Alec giggled. "Sorry."

"That's fine," John said, smiling.

"Are you married, John?" Louisa asked and John took another biscuit off the plate.

"Yeah," he said with a nod. "You'd think, with all the rubbish in my life, that I wouldn't even dream of getting married. But Connie was a lifesaver. I met her at a mate's party and, well, things just clicked."

"How long have you been married?"

"It's been six years," he said as he removed his phone and showed them photos of his wife and three kids. "Our oldest, Derek, is from her first relationship. The…"

John paused as he looked at Alec and he knew he had to censor himself.

"Her ex left after they found out she was pregnant."

"What about you, Annie? Are you married?" Louisa asked. Annie hadn't spoken the whole time and Louisa did notice how she was looking at Will.

"Alec, get off my lap," Will said in a soft voice and Alec carefully got off his lap. "Annie, can we talk?"

Annie got up when Will moved the wheelchair back and he led her to the sun room. The doors hissed open as they went in the room and the doors closed behind them. He watched Annie walk to the window as she looked out at the castle and Will watched her.

"It's been three years, hasn't it?" she finally asked, turning to look at him.

"I beg your pardon?" Will asked.

"Your accident happened three years ago, right?"

"Yes, it did."

"Did…? Did anyone tell you about the person who caused the accident?"

"I really didn't want to know."

Annie went quiet again as he moved the wheelchair closer then he turned the wheelchair to face her. Sighing, Annie looked at him and she folded her arms over her chest.

"His name was Ernie. He is… He is my boyfriend. We were together for ten years and we have two kids. Anyway, one morning, he was late for work. I told him to be careful. Not just because it was raining. He tended to zigzag through traffic on his motorbike when he was in a rush. A short time later, he called and told me he saw this guy coming out between two parked cars. He signaled for the guy to move. The problem was it was too late. He hit the guy. He said the guy bounced twice before he landed."

Will gave her a stunned look. His mind replayed his accident as he blinked and she sighed, looking back out the window.

"Ernie wiped out. He wasn't badly hurt, but the guy he hit… He said he had limped over to him and he said he never saw someone look so broken. He called for help and stayed with the guy until the ambulance arrived. He even went to the hospital with him. It was later on that he learned the guy's name was William Traynor."

"I see."

"Ernie was so scared. He thought he had killed you."

"I heard he was sent to prison."

"Yes."

Will lowered his eyelids as he sighed and she knelt down next to the wheelchair and placed her hand on top of his.

"Mister Traynor…," she said and he glanced at her.

"Will," he said with a grin and she smiled. "Thank you for telling me."

Standing, she opened the door as they left the room and they headed for the main room. Annie went to sit next to John and Devon while Alec climbed onto Will's lap and Louisa placed her hand on Will's shoulder.

"Is everything alright?" Louisa asked and he glanced up at her.

"I'll tell you later," he said and she nodded. Devon looked at them as she frowned then she glanced over at Annie.

"_Stop being so suspicious,"_ Devon thought and she took a sip of tea.

"Nathan!" Alec said, causing Nathan to look at him. "Mama and I fixed Papa Bear's little finger."

"Papa Bear?" Annie asked with a grin.

"Yeah, I call him that because he's furry."

John nearly choke on the tea as he smiled and Will rolled his eyes.

"How did you fix his finger, Little Mate?" Nathan asked.

"Nan says Sir's fingers get stiff sometimes and he cracks his knuckles. So, I asked Papa Bear if I could crack his knuckle. He said yes, but I wasn't strong enough to get it to pop. Mama was and she popped his knuckle. Now he can move his finger."

"Why didn't I think of that," Nathan laughed and Will gave him an amused look.

"Wanna see?!" Alec asked and carefully raised Will's left lower arm. Will arched his eyebrows up while his eyes widened then he slowly bent his thumb toward his palm. He moved the other three fingers down to his palm when he looked at his little finger and the little finger twitched then slowly bent down toward his palm. He straightened his fingers as they applauded and Louisa carded the back of Will's head. "Ta-dah!"

"Congrats, Mate," Nathan said and Will barely nodded then he made a small grunt. "Uh, looks like someone's overdone it."

"Yeah, my hands are starting to hurt," Will said and Alec pouted.

"Sorry, Papa Bear," he said and lowered his head.

"No, it's not your fault," he said and Alec hugged him. Will placed his head against his son's head and Louisa carefully moved his arms so he could hold Alec.

"Let's get you to bed," Louisa said. Will gave her a sad look as he barely nodded and she set the wheelchair on manual. She pushed the wheelchair to the main bedroom as they went inside and Nathan looked at Devon, Annie and John.

"Annie, what was that all about?" John finally asked and she sighed.

"It has to do with Ernie," she said.

"Who's Ernie?" Devon asked.

"He is my boyfriend."

"And….?"

"He's in prison for hitting someone with his motorbike."

Devon thought for a few seconds when she realized who it was Ernie hit and she sat back against the cushion.

"And that someone was Will."

"Yes."

"No wonder you were so quiet."

"I didn't know what to say."

"It's ok," Nathan said as she looked at him. "Will has come a long way since his accident."

"Well, I guess we should go," John said, standing. They got up and headed for the door as Nathan opened the door and they headed for the car. Devon turned to look at Nathan when she kissed his lips and he smiled.

"Thank you," she said in a soft voice and he nodded. He watched them get in the car then he waved and the car headed down the drive. He smiled then turned and he closed the door behind him.

The bedroom was dark while Will rested on his back and Louisa had her head against his shoulder while her hand rested over his right hand. He had told her about what Annie had told him and Louisa felt a dull ache in her chest.

"Clark?" he asked and she glanced at him.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop thinking about it. It's true two lives were ruined after my accident, but we can't change things. We were both in a rush and we both did something stupid," he said, opening his eyes and he looked at the wall. "And, in a way, both of us are in prison. He is in a cell and I'm in a wheelchair. So, please, don't dwell on it. That's going backwards and I want to go forward."

"Annie gave me the address of the prison where they sent him and I thought, maybe, you would like to write him. He might like to hear how you're doing and that you don't blame him for what happened."

"I'll think about it," he said then sighed, closing his eyes. She watched him drift off to sleep as she snuggled closer, closed her eyes and placed her hand back on top of his right hand. As she drifted off to sleep, he wrapped their fingers together then he gently squeezed her fingers.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty-two

_12 November Central London _

"How's it going back there?" Louisa asked while the van moved down the street and she looked at Will from the rearview mirror.

"I'm fine," Will said.

"I'm hungry," Alec said.

"I told you to eat breakfast."

"I wasn't hungry then."

"We'll get something later," Louisa said.

"Can we have pizza!?"

"We'll see," Nathan said and the van headed into the car park. The van stopped in the handicap parking spot of the Family Court as Nathan and Louisa got out of the van and Nathan walked to the back of the van. Opening the door, he hopped inside as he looked at Will and Alec and they smiled at him. Will felt a little silly wearing a hooded coat, gloves, a scarf and a blanket around his waist, legs and feet but it was cold outside and no one wanted him to have an AD attack. Louisa watched as Nathan unlocked the breaks then got out of the van. Will flicked the joystick with his finger as the wheelchair moved forward onto the small ramp. The locks clicked into place when the small lifted lowered the wheelchair out of the van then the locks unlocked. He flicked the lever as the wheelchair moved toward Louisa and the small ramp went back into the van. Nathan closed and locked the doors as he nodded and they headed for the courthouse.

"Are you sure you're ok, Papa Bear?" Alec asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Will said, steering the wheelchair toward the ramp. Devon was waiting for them at the top of the ramp as she smiled and Will smiled back. Another reason Alec and Louisa were worried was due to Will having another stem cell procedure scheduled and he also had his fall evaluations in the next few days.

"Ready to go?" Devon asked and they nodded. She led the way as the doors hissed opened and they headed into the lobby. They headed toward the reception desk as the young woman with long brown hair with blue tips looked at them and Devon gave her a disapproving look.

"_The Ice Queen strikes again,"_ Nathan thought, looking at her then at the receptionist.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"This is Mister and Mrs. Traynor," Devon said in a cold tone and the receptionist typed on the keyboard.

"Yes, they are scheduled to see Judge Bain in Courtroom Four."

"Thank you."

Will and Louisa had spoken with Judge Veronica Bain several times during the last few weeks and she had given them a feeling that the adoption would go through.

Devon led the way as they headed for the lift and Louisa helped Will off with his coat, scarf, gloves and blanket. She smoothed down his hair as he smiled and Louisa gently kissed his lips. The lift doors opened as they went inside and Devon pushed the button. She looked at the numbers going up while Alec straightened Will's tie and Will crossed his eyes, making Alec giggle.

"So, Alec, are you excited!?" Devon asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah!" Alec said when the door opened and they headed down the hallway. Some people stared at Will as they walked by, but Will ignored them and Devon opened the door to Courtroom Four. He steered the wheelchair to the table as Devon, Louisa and Nathan sat down and they looked at the woman sitting on the other side of the table.

Judge Veronica Bain was a woman in her early fifties and she had gray hair mixed with white and silver. Her gray eyes were behind a pair of wire rimmed glasses and she had a serious look on her face. She was wearing her judicial robes and her hair was pulled back in a tight bun.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning," Will and Louisa said and Alec gave her a little wave. Judge Bain looked through the papers in front of her when she placed the papers back on the desk and folded her fingers together.

"When Miss Sharpe first approached me with your petition for adoption, I will admit I had my reservations. Not that I am against someone with your disabilities adopting a child. I just have to consider how the daily care and will affect him or her."

"I don't mind helping Mama take care of Papa Bear," Alec said and she smiled.

"I am glad to hear that."

"Milady, no offense, but are we going to be able to adopt Alec or not?" Will asked.

"None taken," she said with a nod. "As I was saying, I had my reservations. But, after reading these reports, those reservations have been dismissed. I cannot see any reason why you and your wife would be denied having a child."

"Does that mean I'm Alec Traynor now?" Alec asked.

"Yes, that is exactly what it means."

"Yay!" he said and she softly laughed.

"Now, the only thing you need to do now is sign the adoption papers."

"Uh….," Will said, looking at the pen.

"You can just make an x, Mister Traynor."

Louisa wrote her name first when she helped Will hold the pen and held his right hand as he slowly printed his name. Judge Bain looked at the shaky writing and she nodded, carefully piling the papers together before placing the papers in the file.

"Court dismissed," she said when Alec got off of Will's lap, walked around the other side of the table and held his arms up. Judge Bain lifted him onto her lap as he hugged her and she smiled. He got off her lap when he walked to Louisa and Will and Judge Bain slid the official adoption papers across the table. Louisa picked up the papers and Will barely nodded his head. Alec got back onto Will's lap then they left the room and Louisa smiled down at her boys.

"Can we go eat now?" Alec asked and laughter echoed down the hallway as they headed for the lift.

Will looked at his reflection in the mirror while Louisa brushed his hair and he blinked. Louisa noticed the look on his face when she placed the brush down then she slid her arms around his shoulders as she leaned her head against his.

"So, how does it feel to finally be a dad?" she asked.

"It feels…normal," he said and she looked at their reflection.

"Normal?"

"It's funny. I know I should feel excited, but it feels like all we did was sign a piece of paper."

"Yeah, we did, but…"

"Clark?"

"The reason it feels normal is because you have been a dad for a year now. He's been here every day since Devon and Rupert told us about him. So, having a paper to finalize it…"

"Was just a formality?"

"Yeah."

"And having a piece of paper saying he's mine… No, saying he's ours… That doesn't change anything.'

"Right."

Louisa moved back as she picked up the brush again as she finished brushing his hair and dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled.

The wheelchair came to a stop at the dining table as Will looked at Camilla, Steven, Josie, Bernard, Granddad, Treena, Thomas, Alec, Nathan, Devon and Georgina and Louisa sat on the chair next to him. After Camilla rang the silver bell, Amanda brought in the cart as she served the food and Alec was surprised to see the small pizza on the plate along with a slice of garlic bread and a small salad.

"Wow!" he said with a cat-like sound and Will gave Louisa a wink. Amanda placed the plate down in front of Will while he looked at the small pizza with white sauce and a small salad then he looked at Amanda with a puzzled look on his face.

"No garlic bread?" Will asked.

"Sorry," Amanda said.

"Spoilsport," he said and Amanda smiled, walking away. Louisa used a fork and knife to cut the slices into bite size bites and Will opened his mouth as she started feeding him. After they had eaten, Amanda returned with a small cake on the cart and Alec' eyes widened. **ALEC WILLIAM TRAYNOR** was spelt out in blue icing and Louisa helped him cut the cake. He smiled at her as she gave him a hug and she lightly kissed the top of his head.

The room was dark while Will looked into the darkness and could just see the photos of Will and Louisa and Will and Alec and he sighed.

"What's wrong?" Louisa asked.

"I think my Daddy Radar is working over time," Will said.

"Do you want me to give you something to help you sleep?"

"No."

"Do you want me to go check on Alec?"

"No."

"Do you want to hold me?"

"Yes."

Louisa moved closer and lifted his right arm out of the way then snuggled closer. She placed her head against his chest while she moved his arm around her and he slowly closed his eyes. She started humming the Molahonkey song with her hand on his chest and his breathing started to even out. Once she was sure he was asleep, she kissed his cheek, moved his arm to his side and she placed her head against his shoulder. She listened to him sleeping when she closed her eyes and she drifted off to sleep.

_10 December_

Will woke as he opened his eyes and he flexed his fingers. He looked at the ceiling while Alec walked in the room and he headed for the bed.

"Morning, Buddy," he said and Alec carefully climbed on the bed.

"Morning," Alec said.

"Happy birthday!"

"I'm five!" he said, holding up his right hand.

"Yep!"

"Mama said we're going to the castle for my party."

"Well, you're going. It's too cold for me to go."

"But I want you to go," he said with a pout.

"I know, but I'll be fine. I've got some work to do and…"

"Will," Louisa said when she walked in the room and he looked at her.

"Is there something wrong, Clark?"

"Yeah, your mother just told me she got a call and one of the pipes burst at the castle."

"Are you kidding me!?"

"No, and she decided today would be a good day to have the carpets at the main house cleaned."

"Oh great."

"Does that mean I can't have my party?" Alec asked.

"Looks like, Buddy."

"Can we have the party here?"

"That's what I want to know," Louisa said. Will went silent as he looked at the wall and he slowly blinked his eyes. "Will?"

"If it means I will not be missing out on his fifth birthday party, yes!" Will said and Alec cheered. Louisa walked to the bed when she kissed Will's cheek then leaned closer to his ear.

"You are an amazing dad," she whispered.

"Or a crazy one," he whispered and she softly laughed.

Camilla watched while the children played a party game as Will steered the wheelchair to her and she arched her eyebrows.

"I cannot believe you agreed to this," Camilla said.

"Why not? I am perfectly capable of throwing a birthday party for my son," Will said, watching Alec laughing. "And, this way, I wouldn't have missed it. He only turns five once."

"True," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder. Will glanced at her when something clicked in his mind and he arched an eyebrow.

"There was no broken pipe and you aren't having the carpets cleaned," he said and she gave him a slightly shocked look. The look changed to a smile and he softly laughed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Dear," she said and she lightly carded the back of his head.

_15 December Zurich, Switzerland_

Doctor Odinsen smiled while he watched Louisa, Will, Alec and Nathan enter the building and he walked closer.

"Hello," he said.

"Hello," Will said.

"Doctor Odinsen, I was officially adopted!" Alec said and he gave Alec a pleased look.

"Congratulations!"

"And I figured out how to get Papa Bear's little finger to work!"

"Yes, he sent me an email about that. Well done."

"And I'm five now!" he said, holding up his hand.

"My goodness! A whole hand old!"

"Yeah! Now we're here to see if Papa Bear can get his arms to work!"

"You're right," he said as he looked at Will and Will looked like he wanted to laugh. "Shall we get going?"

"Yeah," Will said, barely nodding his head and they headed down the hallway. Odinsen led them to the room as Will steered the wheelchair to the bed and Nathan helped get him on the bed.

"Do you think Papa Bear will be home for Christmas?" Alec asked.

"No, I am afraid he will have to stay here," Lars said with a shake of his head.

"That's why we brought some Christmas decorations for his room," Louisa said. Nathan placed the small box on the table as Alec climbed onto the chair then he helped Nathan removed the decorations from the box.

"Where should we put his snowman?" Alec said as he held up the snowman Alec had made Will last year.

"Over there," Will said as he barely nodded his head to the wall across from the bed and Alec helped Louisa placed the snowman on the wall. A few minutes later, the room was decorated and Doctor Odinsen smiled. He knew his patients tended to react well to their treatments if they had personal objects in their room and seeing the look on Will's face assured him Will was going to be fine.

"When are you going to do the treatment?" Louisa asked, placing Will's dressing gown on the chair near the bed.

"It is scheduled for the day after tomorrow," Lars said. After Doctor Odinsen, Nathan, Louisa and Alec had left, Will looked at the snowman when he glanced over at the window and he saw the snow falling. He blinked his eyes a few times before he smiled and he leaned the back of his head against the pillow.

The room was dark while Louisa snuggled next to Will and she placed her head against his shoulder. Nathan had taken Alec back to the hotel so she could spend the first night with Will and Louisa heard Will making a deep sigh.

"Talk to me," Louisa said, looking up at him.

"I don't know how to explain it. There is a part of me which is excited about all this, but there is a part of me who is worried."

"Are you worried about the treatment not working?"

"No, I have come to the decision that if this is it… If all I can do is move my fingers… That's fine. I have my hands back. It makes things a little easier. True, I can't move my wrists, but, like I said, that's fine."

"Are you worried about me and Alec missing classes or not doing our best because you're in the hospital?"

"No, you two are doing great. Didn't one of your teachers tell you just a few weeks ago that you are one of their best students?"

"Yeah, she did," she said as she moved his arm so she could snuggle closer and placed her head against his chest. "Are you worried about Annie and what she told us about her boyfriend?"

"No. I got an email from her and she apologized for tell me about him. I told her I wasn't angry and she sent me his email address. I wrote to him and he was glad to hear I was doing well and he congratulated me on being able to move my fingers."

"Then what are you worried about?"

Will went silent as she waited for him to continue and Will sighed, rolling his eyes.

"I'm afraid of changing."

"Changing?"

"Once I can move again, I'm worried I will become the Old Will again."

"Why would you do that?"

"I would be able to do things I used to do."

"You mean like jumping off cliffs and skydiving?"

"Well, I'm not sure about that," he said and she pictured him grinning. "But I can work more hours, take on more clients and, maybe, travel."

"And you think that's a problem?"

"Wouldn't it be?"

"No," she said, elongating the "o". "And the reason it wouldn't be a problem is because both Alec and I would know we'd be the reason you would want to come home."

"You're right," he said and she sat up on her elbow so she could look at him.

"Also, the Old Will knows now that your family means everything to you and I believe he wouldn't want to change that.'

"No, he wouldn't."

"Then I see no reason for you to worry."

"Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"No, you haven't."

"Well, kiss me and I'll show you."

"Uh… What if the nurse comes in?"

"I'll tell her to get out."

Smiling, Louisa went to get his medication and, a short time later, they fell asleep with Will's arms wrapped around her.

_17 December_

Louisa watched while the interns carefully placed Will on the gurney then she smoothed out the sheet covering him from the chest down. He had been given something to help him relax and dimples made deep dimples in his cheeks as he smiled.

"Clark?" he whispered and she learned over to look at him.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Uh… If I am Pinocchio, does that make you the Blue Fairy?"

"Yeah, it does," she teased and lightly kissed his lips. She watched the interns move the gurney down the hallway while she listened to Will humming and she laughed when she realized he was humming "I've Got No Strings.".

The days passed when Will finally opened his eyes and he listened to the soft beeping sound. He glanced over to his right when he saw Louisa standing in front of the window while the snow fell outside and Will made a soft moan.

"Will?!" she asked, turning and walked to the bed. He smiled at her as she pushed the nurse call button then she took his hand.

"Hi," he said with a sleepy tone to his voice and a small wave of pain moved through his hands and fingers. "What day is it?"

"It's Christmas Day."

"Oh."

Louisa saw the disappointed look on his face when she lifted his hand and kissed his knuckles.

"Hey, there's no need to be upset."

"I missed it."

"Nuh-unh," came from the doorway as he glanced over and Alec, Nathan, Camilla, Steven and Georgina walked in the room. Camilla and Georgina were carrying gift bags in their hands as he watched them placed the gift bags on the table and the nurse entered the room.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but you need to leave the room for a few minutes," she said, walking to the bed.

"We'll be right back," Louisa said, carding his hair and Will barely nodded. He watched them leave the room while the nurse examining him as she smiled then she wrote the information in the chart. He felt himself getting impatient as he sighed and the nurse headed for the door.

"You can go back in now," she said after opening the door and they walked back in the room. Alec carefully climbed onto the bed as he sat next to Will and Will looked at him.

"Did you open your presents?" Will asked,

"Yeah, but it wasn't any fun without you," Alec said with a pout. For a split second, Will saw Christmases without him being there and he swore he could feel his heart beating a little harder.

"Ok, which gift bag do you want to open first?" Georgina asked, hoping to change the atmosphere in the room.

"It doesn't matter," Will said. Alec moved closer when he snuggled next to Will after Louisa moved Will's left arm out of the way.

"Don't be this way, Darling," Camilla said.

"What way?" he asked with a slightly angry tone.

"Don't be angry."

"I am not…"

Suddenly, Will felt a sharp pain moving through his hands and fingers as his fingers and hands started twitching. The alarm on the heart monitor sounded as his heartrate rose and he tried hard not to scream. The pain moved up his lower arms to his elbows as he moaned and Nathan ran out of the room to find a nurse. Will breathed hard and fast through his nose as the pain moved up his upper arms to his shoulders and he growled.

"Papa Bear!" Alec said, sitting up and the muscles of Will's arms were twitching.

"This…hurts," Will growled when his left hand made a jerking motion then his wrist bent his hand up and Alec took his papa's hand. Will let go of his son's hand while his lower arm moved up and he could just see his hand.

"Whoa!" Georgina whispered and the nurse, two interns and another nurse ran in the room. Will looked at his other arm as his right hand made a jerking motion then his wrist bent his hand up and he slowly lifted his right lower arm up. The pain slowly faded as his lower arms lowered and Will panted.

"I can't believe it," Steven said and Camilla hugged him. The nurse examined Will as he looked at Alec and Alec smiled at him.

"That was neat!" Alec said.

"Yeah….it was," Will panted.

"I think we should leave and let him get some rest," Camilla said, but she saw the hurt look in his eyes.

"I'm…fine."

"Are you sure?" Louisa asked, carding the top of his head.

"Yes, Clark, I'm…sure."

"I'm going to call Doctor Odinsen," the nurse said and she, the interns and the other nurse left the room. Will placed the back of his head against the pillow as he glanced down at his arms and he concentrated. His lower arms rose again as he breathed deeply through his nose and his hands were shaking.

"I was wondering…," he said then paused. "If I had been good this year. I guess I was."

Laughter filled the room as Louisa hugged him and she was surprised when he moved his arms up a little higher and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Well done, Pinocchio," she whispered in his ear then she moved back and she placed her forehead against his.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter Forty-three

_10 January 2011 _

The morning sunlight turned his eyelids a light brown while Will opened his eyes and blinked. He looked at the ceiling until his vision cleared and he made a deep sigh. Will slowly flexed his fingers into fists when he heard someone coming and he quickly closed his eyes. Louisa, Nathan and Alec walked in the room and Louisa held the tray in her hands. Alec held onto the glass of orange juice while Nathan tied the balloon strings to the table leg then he walked to Louisa. Will tried not to smile while Alec climbed onto the bed and he gently sat on Will's stomach.

"Papa Bear, are you awake?" Alec asked. Will barely shook his head as Louisa placed the tray on the floor, leaned over and she kissed Will's lips.

"Wow," Will said with a cat-like sound then he slowly opened his eyes and she smiled, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

"Happy birthday," Louisa said.

"Yeah, it is."

"Child in the room!" Nathan reminded them and they laughed. After Will was fed, the morning routines were done and Will was placed in his wheelchair, Louisa helped Nathan place the braces on Will's hands, arms and shoulders and they left the room.

"Here you go," Louisa said as she placed the plate with pancakes with banana slices faces and a small egg white omelet in front of Will and he looked at the fork. He hadn't tired to feed himself due to his hands shaking whenever he tried to pick up a fork and Louisa wondered if he might give up trying. "Will, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said and he wrapped his fingers around the fork. He glanced from Louisa to the omelet when she cut the omelet into small bite size pieces and he lifted the fork. The fork shook a little as he slowly moved his hand toward the plate then he poked the omelet piece with the fork. Sighing, he began to lift the fork to his mouth when he moved his left hand to hold onto his right wrist for a few second then he opened his mouth. He carefully lifted the fork to his mouth again when he slid the fork into his mouth then moved the fork back. He lowered his arm as he chewed then swallowed and they smiled.

"Yay, Papa Bear!" Alec said, clapping his hands.

"Well done, Mate," Nathan said.

Louisa had been using her phone to take photos of Will feeding himself and she placed the phone down on the table, leaned over and she kissed Will's lips.

"Want to try again?" she whispered and he barely nodded his head, moving the fork toward the omelet.

**HAPPY 35****TH**** BIRTHDAY, WILLIAM** was on the banner as the music played and Will steered the wheelchair toward the present table.

"There's the birthday boy!" Georgina said as she walked closer and she slid her arms around his shoulders. Being careful of the braces, she hugged Will and he leaned his head against hers.

"Are you drunk?" Will whispered.

"Maybe just a little," she whispered and Will rolled his eyes. She kissed the side of his head then she walked away and Will leaned his head against the headrest. He looked at the banner while his mind drifted back to his thirtieth birthday and he half lowered his eyelids.

"What's with the long face?" Josie asked. Will glanced at her as he sighed and she placed her hand on his right shoulder. "Will, are you alright?"

"I'm fine.

"I'm fine what?"

"I'm fine, Mum," he said and she smiled.

"Then why are you looking so sad?"

"I was just thinking about my thirtieth birthday."

"Lou showed me the video," she said and she lightly squeezed his shoulder. "Ah, I know what's wrong."

"You do?"

"Follow me," she said and he flicked the joystick with his finger. Will wondered why they were heading for the sunroom as she turned to look at him and she smiled. "Close your eyes."

With a tiny shrug, Will closed his eyes as she opened the sliding door then she looked at Louisa and the two people standing next to her. Nodding, Josie walked away while Louisa walked closer and Will opened his eyes.

"Clark, what is going on?" he asked.

"I just want to give you an early birthday gift," Louisa said, walking to one side and Will's eyes widened at the sight of Rupert and Frankie smiling at him. Will flicked the joystick with his thumb then he stopped the wheelchair and Rupert titled his head to one side.

"Will?" Rupert asked. Will slowly raised his arms up as high as they would go and Rupert moved closer, sliding his arms around his best friend. Will sniffed as Rupert hushed hm and Will placed his head against his head. "Happy birthday, Mate."

"It is now," Will whispered and Rupert helped him sit back. They watched Louisa use the aspirator to help Will unclog his nose then she gave him some antihistamines and she used a tissue to wipe his eyes.

"Uncle Rupert!" Alec shouted as he ran into the room and Rupert knelt down, holding his arms out. Alec ran into his arms as Rupert hugged him then he gently lifted Alec off the floor. "What are you doing here?!"

"I'm here for Papa Bear's birthday," Rupert said with a grin and Alec giggled.

"I thought you were gone_ forever_."

"I thought so, too, but I got a call from Detective Inspector Archer after the trial and he said I could come home if I wanted to.'

"But that was_ ages_ ago!"

"Well, I did have to get time off from work. Lucky for me, I have a nice employer," Rupert said then looked at Will. "And I believe you know them."

"Who are you talking about?" Will asked.

"That would be me," Georgina said and Will flicked the joystick with the joystick to turn the wheelchair around. She walked closer when she knelt down and she placed her hand on his left knee. "Imagine my surprise when my department received a new financial adviser and it was Rupert."

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I wasn't allowed to."

"It's true, Mate. I was told if I did run into someone I knew, I had to inform them not to say anything," Rupert said and Will sighed. Louisa noticed the look on his face as she walked closer and he glanced over at her.

"Will?" Georgina asked. He flicked the joystick as the wheelchair moved backwards and he lightly bumped the wheelchair into Rupert.

"I deserve that," Rupert said with a laugh and Frankie looked at him with an amused look. "Oh, I forgot. This is Francine."

"Hello," Frankie said.

"Hello," Louisa said.

"Hello," Will said and Alec gave her a small wave.

"Frankie was my nurse back when I was sick," Rupert said.

"Now I'm his wife," Frankie said and they gasped.

"That was quick," Will teased.

"Just following you lead, Mate," Rupert said, kissing Frankie's cheek.

"My lead?"

"You married your Lou and I married mine," he said and Will laughed. Rupert and Frankie moved out of the way as Alec flicked the joystick then they left the room and Will reached out with his left hand. Rupert took his hand as they looked at each other and Will lightly squeezed his fingers.

Will watched while Cally and Martin walked toward him and he noticed the look on Martin's face.

"Happy birthday, Sir," Cally said as she gave him a hug and he slowly wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you," Will said, lowering his arms then he looked at Martin.

"Happy birthday, Will," Martin said.

"Thank you, but I have a feeling you have something you want to tell me."

"I do. As you know, there is an opening for a junior partner at the agency…"

"Yes, I did hear about it."

"Well, I have been talking with the board and we are in agreement with who we would like to take the position. True, it would mean more clients, but I feel this person can handle the extra workload and there is no traveling involved."

Will thought for a few seconds when his eyes widened and his mouth fell open a bit.

"You mean me?!" Will asked with a small crack to his voice.

"Only if you want to."

"Only if he wants to what?" Louisa asked as she walked closer and she placed her hand on his left shoulder.

"Remember I told you there was an opening for a junior partner at the agency?" Will asked and she nodded.

"I am offering Will the position if he wants it," Martin said and Louisa grinned.

"That's wonderful!" Louisa said, sliding her arms around Will's shoulders. "Are you going to say yes?"

"Of course, I am going to say yes, Clark," Will said, rolling his eyes and she kissed his cheek. "But I have one condition."

"Cally is still your secretary," Martin said with a laugh. "Did you really think I would break up one of my best teams?"

"Just checking," Will said, raising his hand so they could shake hands.

"I'll call you tomorrow with the details."

"Alright, and thank you again."

"You're welcome," Martin said and he and Cally walked away. Louisa walked to the front of the wheelchair when she carefully sat on Will's lap and he slowly wrapped his arms around her.

"You were going to say no, weren't you?" Louise asked, placing her head against Will's head.

"It scared me sometimes with how well you know me," Will said.

"Why were you going to say no?"

"There are a lot of reasons."

"Such as?"

"I know I can handle the extra clients and can do the meetings over the phone, but I like things as they are. And it is not the first time he's offered me a junior partnership. The last time was shortly before my accident. I told him no then because I wasn't ready," he said then placed a finger against her lips when she went to say something. "The reason I don't want to this time has to do with the therapy for my arms and the fact I like being a home daddy."

"A what?"

"Come on, Clark, you know what that is."

"Yeah, I do, but there is one more reason why you want to say no."

"And that is?" he asked, arching his eyebrows up.

"You're scared," she said, lightly poking him in the chest.

"Scared? Of what?"

"You told me once you were afraid of becoming the Old Will again. If you take this position, you will have more work, more clients and more responsibility, but little time for me or Alec. Right?"

"Right. It's like what happened with my father. His career took over his time with his family. Don't get me wrong. He and my mother taught Georgie and I to grab onto what we want and hold onto it with both hands. But, over time, things just fell apart. I don't want the same thing to happen to us."

"Then let me ask you this. What if I was offered a junior internship next semester and had to go to, say, New York. Would you want me to say no because I wasn't sure if I could handle it as well as taking care of you and Alec?"

"Were you offered a junior internship?"

"I might have," she said, giving him a mischievous look.

"When were you going to tell me?"

"it was the other surprise I was going to give you."

"You mean besides reuniting me with Rupert?"

"Yes."

"Then I am going to tell Martin I changed my mind."

"Will…"

"No, you spend all your time taking care of me… Being there for me… This is me being there for you. And it's not like we need the money. Please. Let me do this."

"I will if you answer me this. Would Old Will have done that?"

"Actually, yeah, he would have," he said and Louisa hugged him as he leaned his head against hers.

Annie and Devon walked closer while Will watched Thomas and Alec playing a party game with Will's cousin, Sam's children then he turned the wheelchair around.

"There you are," Will said and Devon walked closer, giving him a hug.

"Happy birthday," Devon said. She was still surprised with how different Will was from when they first met and she moved back, smiling.

"Thank you," he said with a small nod. "Where is your brother?"

"He is over talking with Nathan."

"Thank you for inviting me and John," Annie said and he turned the wheelchair to look at Nathan and John.

"Why wouldn't I invite you?" Will asked and she nodded.

"I have to admit I was shocked when Dev told us about your surgery. What are stem cells?"

Will explained as she nodded and she looked at the braces.

"I have nearly full use of my fingers and my hands," he explained and he flexed his fingers.

"Nathan said you'll be losing the braces on your hands soon," Devon said.

"Not soon enough."

They laughed when Devon looked at Nathan and Nathan gave her a smile.

"Nathan needs to talk to me," Devon said as they watched her walk to Nathan and Will glanced at Annie.

"Sure, he did," Will said and Annie admitted she liked the deep dimples when he smiled.

"Actually, the reason she left has to do with me," Annie said.

"You?"

"Yes. I want to say thank you."

"Why are you thanking me? I know I offered to find you and John for Devon…"

"I am talking about Ernie."

"What about him?" he asked and she saw the confusion in his eyes.

"Didn't you do something to get his sentence reduced?"

"No," he said as he barely shook his head.

"But the last time I talk to him, he said his sentence was reduced and there was a good chance he might make parole in a year or two."

"That's great!"

"You sure you didn't have anything to do with it?"

"Yes," he said when he saw Camilla looking at them and he caught a hint of a smile. "But I think I know who might have done it."

Annie turned to look at Camilla when she turned and looked at Will. Devon had told her about Camilla being a high court judge and Will barely nodded his head. He watched her walk to Camilla as they started talking and he leaned his head against the headrest.

"Papa Bear, are you ok?" Alec said and Will glanced over at him.

"Yeah, Buddy,' I'm fine."

Alec carefully crawled onto Will's lap while Will slid his arms around his son and Alec leaned back against him.

"I heard Mama tell Lady you don't want to take that job Mister Martin gave you."

"You mean my promotion?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod.

"But you don't think I should tell him no?"

"Well, no, but it's because I like having you here when I get home from school. Is that being selfish?"

"No, not really. I'd still be here when you get back from school, but I would be too busy to do things like going to the castle before dinner."

"Or watch cartoons before bed?"

"Yep."

"Mama said Mister Martin offered you the job before and you said no then, too."

"That was because I wasn't ready to take the job. But, this time, I want to be there for Mama. She was offered to do something while she goes to school and I want her to do it. Does that sound selfish?"

"No, that sounds like fun."

"Yeah, it does."

"Would she have to go away?"

"Yes, but we'll go with her."

"Where is she going?"

"She might be going to New York."

"Can I go to school there?"

"Yeah, you can."

"Are you going to need new doctors?"

"Yeah, but Nathan will work with my doctors and specialist to find them."

"What if they're mean?"

"I'll run them over with my wheelchair," he said and Alec laughed.

"Is Nathan going with us?"

"Yes, he is."

"What about Miss Devon? Is she going, too?"

"I don't know. It's up to them."

"I don't want them to not see each other anymore."

"They'll be fine."

"Can I bring Stripy and my toys?"

"Yeah."

Alec nodded as he played with Will's fingers then he looked at him.

"Papa Bear?"

"Yeah?"

"Auntie Georgie said she is amazed you lived this long. Why did she say that?"

"Uh… Well, after I got hurt, one of my doctors told Lady and Sir there was a chance I wouldn't live very long."

"That was mean."

"Yeah, but there a lot of things that can make me really sick."

"Like when you get pneumonia?"

"Right, like that. So, I got it into my head I wasn't going to get any better. That I was going to die."

"But you are getting better."

"That's what Mama told me."

"Want to know something?"

"What?'

"I'm glad they were wrong."

Will barely felt his heart thumping in his chest as he blinked his eyes a few times and Will wanted to kiss the top of his son's head.

"I'm glad they were wrong, too," he said and he gave Alec a hug.

Will parked the wheelchair next to Louisa's chair when he smiled at the others and Camilla rang the silver bell. Amanda wheeled in the cart as she and the other servants served the food and Amanda smiled at him. Will looked at the fork then he looked the roast beef cut into bite size pieces, roasted potatoes cut into bite size pieces and sliced asparagus in a light cream sauce. After Amanda served the food, she pushed the cart out of the room and Louisa saw the look on Will's face.

"Need some help?" Louisa whispered and he glanced at her. Will could feel eyes on him when he wrapped his fingers around the fork and he slowly lifted the fork off the table. He moved the fork to the plate when he poked the fork into a few pieces of roast beef and he swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Mama, look! Unca Will gonna feed himself!" Thomas said, pointing at Will.

"Well, I am going to try," Will said, grinning.

"Take your time, Mate," Rupert said and Will barely nodded his head. Will slowly moved the fork to his lips when he opened his mouth and he slid the fork into his mouth. He moved the fork back as he chewed and he placed the fork down. They applauded as he glanced over at Camilla and she saluted him with her wine glass.

The candles flickered while Will looked at the birthday cake and he half-listened to the birthday song. He felt Louisa holding his hand when he looked at her and she gave him a small grin. She helped him blow out the candles when she picked up the cake knife and he looked at it.

"Please?" he asked and she looked at the cake knife. She placed the cake knife in his right hand as he wrapped his fingers around the handle then he held his hand with his left hand. The cake knife wiggled while Louisa moved the cake a little closer and Will moved the cake knife toward the cake. His hands shook as he carefully cut a piece of cake and he looked at the others. "It might not be perfect, but who wants the first piece?"

Camilla wiped her eyes with a handkerchief while Steven gave Will a proud look and the others clapped their hands. Louisa helped Will place the piece of cake onto the plate when she took the cake knife out of his hands then she hugged him.

The bedroom was quiet while Will looked at the ceiling and Louisa wrote the information in his medical file.

"So, did you like your surprises?" she asked, placing the medical file in the drawer.

"Did I like seeing my best friend again and being asked to be a junior partner?" he asked and she closed the drawer before sitting on the bed. "Yes, I did. But I still don't like Rupert being so far away."

"Well, I'm going to talk to Doctor Odinsen and your other doctors and ask, seeing how your condition has changed, if it would be alright for you to go to Sydney for a visit."

He looked at her for a long time when he reached up and she took his right hand.

"I like that idea," he said.

"And you told Martin you're not taking the promotion?"

"Yes, I did. He wasn't surprised that I changed my mind."

"And you don't mind me taking the junior internship?"

"No, I don't mind. I also talked it over with Nathan and he said he is willing to join us so I don't have to find another caregiver."

"Then I guess I'll have to see if I can find us a first floor flat."

"Already looking into that."

"When did you do that?"

"It was when you were giving Alec his shower."

She lowered his hand onto his chest when she kissed his lips and he sighed through his nose. She moved back as he panted and she brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"Do you know how badly I want you right now?" Will asked.

"Yeah, I know."

She unbuttoned his pajamas top as she kissed his chest and Will slowly moved his arms up, lightly stroking her hair. He liked how soft and silky her hair felt and he was careful not to snag her hair in the braces.

"Take off the braces," he whispered and she removed the braces. He watched her move back to him as he smiled and she spread her fingers through the hair on his chest. At one point during their lovemaking, Will swore he felt a strong tingle move through him as he gasped and his eyes widened.

"Will, what's wrong?" she asked, looking at him with worry in her eyes.

"Didn't… Didn't you feel that?" he asked, panting.

"Yeah, I did. Are you saying…?"

"I felt it, too."

She kissed his lips as he sighed and the strong tingle slowly faded. Afterwards, they were wrapped in each other's arms and Will hoped what he felt was real as he closed his eyes and he drifted off to sleep


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter Forty-four

Louisa woke to find an empty space where Will should be and his wheelchair was missing. She knew Nathan would have woke her if Will had gotten ill and she sat up. She got out of bed when she headed for the bathroom, but she found it empty and the butterflies in her stomach fluttered. She had been feeling ill for the last few weeks, but she thought it was from stress and she walked back in the bedroom.

"Aw, you're awake," Will said and she looked at him. He has a tray on his lap as he moved the wheelchair toward the bed and she smiled. She was marveled with how fast he was improving and he no longer wearing the braces on his hands. Nathan stood in the doorway while he watched Will try to put the tray on the bed as he walked closer and Will glanced at him.

"Need some help?" Nathan asked.

"If you don't mind," he said and Louisa got back in the bed. Nathan lifted the tray off Will's lap as Louisa reached for the tray and Will set the breaks on the wheelchair. Alec walked in the room when he walked to the bed and he had a gift bag in his hands. He climbed onto the bed as he crawled next to Louisa and she took the gift bag. Nathan helped Will onto the bed then he sat on the foot of the bed and Louisa looked at the plates of food, two glasses of orange juice, two cups of tea and a small vase with a rose inside. "Happy anniversary."

"Happy anniversary," she said, leaning over to kiss Will's lips.

"Look in the gift bag," Alec said and Louisa looked at the gift bag. She opened it when she removed the envelope and she opened the envelope. She took out the card as she handed the envelope to Alec then she read the card. Will saw the tears in the corners of her eyes as she sniffed and she placed the card on the tray. She moved the tray off her lap as she got out of bed when she headed into the bathroom and they looked at each other. "Why is Mama crying?"

"I don't know," Will said and Nathan helped him get back in the wheelchair. Will moved the wheelchair into the bathroom when he saw Louisa standing at the sink and her hands were on the counter. She seemed to be crying as he moved closer and he lightly bumped her with the wheelchair. "Clark, are you alright?"

"Yes," she said with a sob and she wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.

"Louisa, please, talk to me," he said and she slowly turned to look at him. She made a shaky sigh when she walked to the toilet, placed the lid down and she sat on the lid. Will moved the wheelchair closer as she placed her hands on her knees and she sighed.

"I… I'm sorry," Louisa said.

"What are you sorry about?"

"I'm sorry for being so emotional."

"I have noticed you haven't been yourself. Is there something wrong?"

"I'm… I'm late."

"You're…late?"

Will paused as he tried to figure out what she meant as his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.

"You mean you're late late?!" he asked and she nodded.

"I thought it was from stress. I have a lot of exams coming up, I have to figure out if I want to do the junior internship or not and I'm stuck on my design project."

"That does sound like a lot."

"But I've been… I've been getting sick in the morning. It usually hits when I'm at school, but it doesn't last for long."

"Which is why you think it's stress related."

"Right," she said, nodding.

"If you're that concerned, maybe you should go see someone."

"I do have an appointment, but it's around the time you're going to be in the hospital for your first reevaluation."

"Which gives you an excuse not to hang around and wait for me to get tests done," he said with a small grin.

"But I want to be there."

"No, your health means more to me than some tests," he said while he moved the wheelchair closer and she placed her hand on his right knee.

Two weeks later, Will watched the financial report while the nurse examined him and she wrote the information in his medical file. He normally dreaded being poked and prodded during his reevaluations, but he was interested in the new tests Doctor Odinsen wanted to run.

The door opened while Alec and Nathan walked in the room and the nurse turned to look at them.

"Oh, sorry. We'll come back later," Nathan said.

"No, it's fine. I'm finished," she said as she placed the chart back in the holder at the foot of the bed then she left the room. Alec walked to the bed when he carefully climbed onto the bed and Will used the remote to turn the television off.

"Hey, Buddy," Will said.

"Papa Bear, guess what," Alec said.

"What?"

"I got to be the head boy in the line when we went out to play."

"Wow," he said with a cat-like noise. "That is a big responsibility."

"But it started raining, so I had to lead everyone back in. I don't know why. It was just rain," he said with a shrug and Will laughed.

"I guess your teacher didn't want any of you to get sick."

"That's what she said. But it wasn't raining_ that_ hard."

"Have your doctors talk to you yet?" Nathan asked.

"Most of them," Will said.

"Did they say if you're going to regain the use of your legs?"

"One of them said I might if I have a few more treatments. The thing is, I'm happy just getting the use of my arms back."

"Don't want to push your luck?"

"Something like that."

"Who haven't you talk to?"

"I haven't talked with Doctor Stone. Then again, I asked him to run a special test. Guess he hasn't gotten the results yet."

"What sort of test?"

"It's the one to see if I can have a baby with Lou," he said as he looked at Alec. "You wouldn't mind if Mama and I can have a baby?"

"Nope" Alec said while the door opened and Louisa walked in the room.

"Hello," she said, walking to the bed and she kissed Will's cheek.

"Mama, guess what."

"What?"

"I got to be the head boy in the line when we went out to play."

"Wow!"

"But then it started to rain and I had to lead them back inside."

"Still, that was a big responsibility."

"That's what I said," Will said and she smiled.

"Have you heard anything yet?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Good."

"But the doctor who did the test to see if you and Papa Bear can have babies hasn't talk to him yet," Alec said and Louisa noticed Will was blushing.

"Oh," she said as the door opened and Doctor Mark Stone walked in the room.

"Hello," Mark said, heading for the bed.

"Hello," Will said.

"Hello," Louisa said.

"Can Papa Bear and Mama make babies?" Alec asked and Will's eyes widened while Mark laughed.

"I see he likes to get right to the point," Mark said.

"He gets that from his father," Louisa said. Nodding, Mark looked at the file he had brought with him then he looked at Will and Will noticed a look in his eyes.

"As you know, the last time we ran the test, it came back negative."

"Yes, I remember," Will said, barely nodding his head.

"Well, imagine my surprise when the tests this time showed a minute trace of semen."

"What's that?" Alec asked. Mark forgot he was in the room as he cleared his throat and Louisa and Will exchanged an amused look.

"Remember that animated video we watched when we explained where babies come from?" Will asked.

"Yeah."

"Remember those little white tadpoles?"

"Oh!" he said and Mark made a soft laugh.

"Which animated video was this?" Mark asked and Louisa whispered in his ear. "Ah, I have heard of that one."

"Are you saying I can have children with Louisa?" Will asked.

"I would like to say yes, but, like I said, there was only a minute trace of semen."

"Maybe you can give him something to see if he can increase it?" Nathan asked.

"We can try a few things," Mark said, looking at Will. "if you want to try."

"Yes, I would like to try," Will said.

"Uh….," Louisa said as she paused and Will noticed the look in her eyes.

"Clark, is there something wrong?"

"If there was a minute trace of semen, could it be possible Will has already have gotten me pregnant?"

Both Mark and Will gave her a stunned look while Will's face changed to a pleased look and he gently pushed himself up then he held his arms out to Louisa. After Alec got off the bed, Louisa sat on the bed as she held Will and he leaned his head against hers.

"Are you pregnant?" he whispered.

"Yeah," she said, kissing the side of his head.

"You and Mama made a baby?" Alec asked while Louisa moved Will so he rested against the pillows and he saw his hands were slightly shaking. Mark quickly checked Will's vitals then he wrote the information on the chart and Louisa patted the mattress. Alec climbed onto the bed as she slid her arm around him and she looked at Mark, Will and Nathan.

"You see, I haven't been feeling well for a while now. I thought it was just stress. I decided to go see my doctor and she ran some tests. Imagine my surprise when she told me I was pregnant. She knew about Will not being able to have children, so she ran the test three times. Each time, it came back positive," Louisa said and she gave Alec a small hug.

"Do you have a copy of the tests?" Mark asked. Nodding, she removed some papers from her purse and he looked at the information. He nodded his head a few times when he handed her the papers back and she placed the papers back in her purse. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Will said.

"Thank you," Louisa said while Nathan walked to her then he hugged her.

"Do you still want to try something to see if you can have more children?" Mark asked, looking at Will.

"Yes," Will said with a small nod.

"Alright," he said then he left the room and Will looked at Louisa. He knew he had felt something the night they had sex on his birthday, but the idea of making a baby with her… Being able to do things with her that Alicia denied him… Louisa noticed the look in his eyes as she moved him forward then they hugged and she cared the back of his head while he cried happy tears.

Days later, Camilla wondered why Will and Louisa had asked the Clarks over for dinner as they sat around the table in the dining room and she sipped on the wine in her glass. She watched Will, Alec and Louisa enter the room when Will parked the wheelchair in his usual spot and Louisa sat next to him.

"So, Will, how did your reevaluation go?" Georgia asked. Will had called her and she was shocked when he asked her to come home.

"It went very well, Georgie," Will said, but she wasn't believing him.

"Don't lie to me."

"Georgina," Steven said with a stern tone and Josie looked at Louisa. She knew Louisa wasn't herself lately and the way Louisa was holding onto Will's hand made her stomach hurt.

"I guess we better tell them," Louisa said, getting up as she walked around the table and she placed copies of the reports from Doctor Stone and her doctor in front of them. Camilla picked up the reports as she read the information and her eyes slightly widened.

"What does this mean?" Bernard asked, looking at Louisa.

"Bernie, it means we're going to be grandparents again," Josie said as she got up then she walked to Louisa, giving her a hug.

"But how can this be possible? William cannot have children," Steven said.

"Don't you believe in a million-to-one shot, Daddy?" Georgina asked, giving Will a grin.

"More like a billion-to-one shot," Treena said, smiling at Louisa.

"Well, however it happened," Bernard said, raising his glass of wine. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Daddy," Louisa said, but Will looked at his parents.

"Is this going to interfere with your classes?" Josie asked.

"No. I do most of my classes at home and my headmaster said it would be alright if I had to bring the baby to a lecture after he or she is born."

"We need to give you a baby shower," Treena said and Georgina nodded.

"Why does Auntie Lou have to give the baby a shower, Mama?" Thomas asked.

"It's not really a shower, Sweetie. It's more like a party and we give Auntie Lou things she'll need for the baby."

"Oh," the boys said together and the adults laughed. Will sighed when he backed the wheelchair up and they looked at him.

"Mother. Father. May I have a word?" he asked and Steven and Camilla followed him out of the room. He led them into the main room when Camilla and Steven sat on the couch and Will parked the wheelchair. Louisa had followed them as she stood next to the wheelchair and she placed her hand on his left shoulder. She saw the look on her husband's face as the muscles in his jaw twitched and he slowly blinked his eyes. "Go ahead."

"Go ahead and do what?" Steven asked.

"Go ahead and ask."

"I don't understand."

"He wants to know if we believe the baby isn't his," Camilla said and Steven was shocked.

"I was thinking no such thing."

"Then you are happy we're having a baby?" Louisa asked.

"Of course, I'm happy. I may not understand how it happened, but it has and I can't wait to meet my new grandchild."

"What about you, Mother?" Will asked, looking at Camilla. "Are you happy?"

"What a terrible thing to ask," Camilla said, sitting straighter and she placed her hands on her lap.

"Then why are you giving us those odd looks?" Louisa asked.

"You are not going to believe me."

"Just tell us," Will said.

"When you had your accident, we had accepted the fact we would never be grandparents. Yes, we still had your sister. But it became clear she wasn't ready to settle down or become a single parent. Now? Now, by some miracle, not only can you move again, but you and Louisa are going to be parents. It is overwhelming, to say the least, and I am not sure how to feel. I am happy, but, at the same time I worry about how this will change things around here."

"What about Alec? Did things change that much when we found about him?"

"Yes, but, over time, things went back to normal."

"And the same will happen with this baby," Louisa said.

"But I don't get why you thought the baby wasn't mine," Will said.

"Again, we...I...wasn't sure how this could happen. So, for some reason, I thought Louisa might have had an affair."

"No offense, but I am not Alicia," Louisa said, feeling a little insulted.

"I know that and I wholeheartedly apologize."

"Apology accepted," Will said.

"Yes, apology accepted," Louisa said and Camilla looked at Steven.

"Do you forgive me as well or do you think I am being a silly old woman?"

"Yes, I forgive you and you are not being a silly old woman. You are being my wife," Steven teased. Laughing, Camilla walked to Louisa when she hugged her then she hugged Will and Steven hugged them as well before they went back into the dining room.

The months passed while Will experienced things he had missed while Alicia was pregnant with Alec and he was amazed when he saw the baby on the ultra sound screen.

"_Wow,"_ he said with a cat-like sound and Louisa and her doctor smiled at him.

Louisa had held his hand while they listened to the baby's heartbeat for the first time and tears had rolled down his cheeks.

Will woke while he rested on his right side as he watched Louisa sleep and he thought about how he wasn't able to get up when she wanted something in the middle of the night.

"_Will, it's fine."_

"_No, it's not. I should be able to get up, drive around in the car to get you a curry, some ice cream or a pickle and pepperoni pizza with goat cheese then I come home, only to have you tell me you changed you mind."_

"_You did make me a hot fudge sundae the other day."_

"_Most of it was on me."_

He could still hear her laughter as he sighed then he saw her eyes were open. She reached over to pat his left hip as he gave her a small grin and she could just see his dimples.

"Morning," he said with a sleepy voice.

"Morning," she said, moving the blankets back and she went to get up.

"Clark?"

"Yes?" she asked, looking at him while she took the medical equipment and his medical file out of the drawer.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look?"

"I look a mess."

"No, you don't."

She rolled her eyes while she shook her head and she helped him lie on his back. After she examined him and she wrote the information in the medical file, she sat down next to him and she placed her hand on his chest. She felt him softly breathing and he felt her fingers moving over his collarbones.

"Do you really think I'm beautiful?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, his eyes glancing down at her baby bump.

"Was I beautiful before I got pregnant?"

"Oh yes."

"And I will be beautiful after I give birth?"

"Yep," he said, popping the "p". She felt the tears in her eyes as she sighed and she wiped the tears out of her eyes. He felt a soft tingling moving through him as he smiled and she moved closer to kiss his lips.

"Ew!" came from the doorway as Alec and Nathan walked in the room and Will coughed a laugh.

"Good morning to you, too," Will said.

"Are you ready to get up?" Nathan asked.

"Yes," he said as he looked at Alec. "Go get my slippers and dressing gown, please."

"Ok," Alec said while Louisa got up and she placed the medical file and the medical equipment in the drawer. After getting Will dressed, Nathan helped Will into the wheelchair and they left the room.

_14 October -_ _Saint Andrew's Hospital_

Will sat on the bed next to Louisa while she held onto their infant son and Will smiled at her. Will thought back to how nervous he was while he held her hand during the delivery and his hands were shaking slightly when he used the scissors to cut the umbilical cord.

"It's my turn," he said. Louisa carefully handed him their son as he held the baby against his chest and the baby grabbed onto the green surgical gown he was wearing. His hand was cupped behind the baby's head as he glanced down at him and the baby seemed content being in his papa's arms. "Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," he said while the door opened and Camilla walked in the room. "Hello, Mother."

"Hello. Sorry I was late," Camilla said.

"It's fine. Father told me you had a full docket today."

"That and the traffic was horrendous," she said with a sigh then looked at where Will was sitting. "Are you sure you're supposed to doing that?"

"It's a big bed," he teased and she walked to the bed. She looked down at the baby while Louisa looked at Will and she arched her eyebrows up. Barely nodding his head, he glanced at Camilla then at the baby and he smiled. "Do you want to hold your grandson?"

"I would love to," Camilla said with a crack in her voice and she reached over, taking the baby in her arms. She carefully hugged Will, kissing his cheek, and he leaned his head against hers. She looked at the baby and the baby gave her a pleased look. "What is his name?"

"His name is Steven Nathan Bernard Traynor," Louisa said. Camilla walked to the other side of the bed as she hugged Louisa and Louisa placed her head against hers. Camilla smiled as she walked to the window and she looked outside. She glanced down at Steven while Louisa snuggled next to Will and he slowly slid his arm around her.

_**A/N: What did you think of my little miracle?**_


	45. Chapter 45

_**A/N: This is the final chapter. I know. I should keep going, but I felt this was a good place to stop. Thanks to all who read and reviewed.**_

Chapter Forty-five

_12 August 2013_

Louisa sat on the bed as she held the laptop on her lap and she looked at the photo of Will, Alec and Little Steven smiling on the screen. Her hair was up in a tight bun and she was wearing a black blouse under a black suit jacket, a black skirt ending at her knees, the black tights and black, short heel shoes. She looked at the files when she moved the cursor then she clicked on the video and she leaned against the pillow.

_Will was sleeping with week old Steven sleeping on his chest and Will's left hand was on top of Steven's back. Alec was snuggled next to Will's right side while his head rest against Will's shoulder and Will was holding him._

"_My boys," she whispered when Will made a soft sigh as his eyes slowly opened and he smiled at her._

"_What are you doing, Clark?" Will whispered with a sleepy tone._

"_Just preserving this moment," she whispered and the fingers of his left hand moved slightly. "Do you have any idea how cute you three look?"_

"_Clark…"_

"_Do you want me to move them?"_

"_No, we're fine," he said and he closed his eyes and she watched him drift back to sleep._

Louisa moved the cursor when she clicked on the video and she looked at the slightly agitated look on Will's face.

"_Are you sure you want to do this?" Louisa's voice asked._

"_Clark, I am perfectly capable of changing our son's nappy," Will said and Alec giggled._

"_Papa Bear, you're holding the nappy the wrong way," he said and Will's eyes widened._

"_I knew that."_

_Will made faces at month old Steven while he turned the nappy the other way around then Will gasped when Steven peed on his shirt._

"_And you forgot to cover him," Louisa's voice said and Will stuck his tongue out at her._

Louisa moved the cursor when she clicked on the next video and she noticed Will's face was upside down.

"_What are you doing?" Louisa's voice asked while Will rested on his back and he looked up at her._

"_Well, seeing how I'm done with my therapy, I thought I would show Stevie how to roll over," Will said. Steven appeared on the screen while he rested on his back and their youngest son was chewing on his fingers._

"_Are you sure about this?"_

"_Yeah. Watch."_

_Will looked at the ceiling for a few seconds then he reached over and he tapped Steven's stomach to get his attention._

"_Stevie?! Stevie. Watch Papa Bear," he said and Steven looked at him. Will carefully rocked side to side while he used his arms to roll onto his left side and he looked at Steven. Steven giggled as he wiggled side to side and Louisa gasped when Steven rolled onto his right side. Will breathed deeply for a few seconds when he wiggled side to side again and, with Nathan helping him move his legs, he used his arms to roll onto his stomach. Steven looked at Will for a few seconds when he started wiggling side to side then Steven rolled onto his stomach. He looked at his papa as Will barely nodded and Steven smiled._

"_What a clever boy!" Louisa's voice said._

"_Him or me!?" Will asked and both Louisa and Nathan laughed._

Louisa clicked the next video as she looked at the screen and Will had a serious look on his face. He was lying on his back as he made soft grunting sounds and he puffed out a breath of air.

"_Just two more, Mate," Nathan said._

"_That's two too many," Will said._

"_You can do it, Papa Bear," Alec said when he looked over at Steven and his eyes widened. "Look at what Stevie's doing!"_

_The camera moved as Steven pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and he looked like he was trying to figure out what to do next. They watched as Steven balanced himself then he started babbling while he crawled toward Will._

"_Oh my God," Louisa's voice said as Steven stopped and he placed his little hands on Will's chest._

"_Good boy," Will said. Steven made a little grunting sound as he pushed his little hands on Will's chest and Will laughed. Steven looked at him when he tried to climb up onto Will when he lost his balance and he fell onto his bottom. He didn't cry, but he did set himself into crawling position again and Alec helped him climb up and over Will. Alec ran around to Will's left side when he followed Steven and Will looked up at the ceiling._

"_Great. I just became a speed bump," Will said, grinning and both Louisa and Nathan laughed._

Louisa moved the cursor as she clicked on the next video and Will smiled at her.

"_Tuesday, baby food test number one," Will said as Steven appeared, wearing a bib with bunny rabbits on the front, and four bottles of baby food and four small spoons were sitting on the highchair tray. Will's right hand appeared as he picked up the first spoon and he scooped some pureed chicken out of the bottle. "First, we have some chicken."_

_Will moved the spoon toward Steven's mouth and Steven opened his mouth. Will fed him two more spoonful of chicken and Will smiled._

"_Well, it looks like we have a winner," Will said, grinning. He looked at the next bottle then he picked up the next spoon and Steven reached for the spoon. "Hold on."_

_Will looked at the next bottle as he scooped some mashed potatoes onto the spoon and Steven opened his mouth._

"_You want some mash?" Will asked and Steven made some little noises. Will feed him some mashed potatoes and Steven clapped his little hands. "Yep, you do like your mash, don't you?"_

_Will picked up the third spoon when he scooped some pureed green beans onto the spoon and he frowned._

"_What is this?"_

"_It's green beans," Louisa's voice said and Will took a taste then he made a face._

"_That was disgusting!"_

"_Let him decided if it is or not."_

_Will gave her a disgusted look when he moved the spoon toward Steven, but Steven didn't open his mouth._

"_See, he doesn't like it."_

"_That's because you don't."_

_Will frowned when he picked up the last spoon and he used the spoon to scoop some pureed carrots out of the jar. He moved the spoon toward Steven, but Steven didn't open his mouth and Will smiled._

"_Come on, Buddy. Even I like this. I used to eat it back when I couldn't eat solid food," Will said and Steven opened his mouth. Will fed him the carrots then he gave her a smug look._

"_Showoff," she whispered and Will softly laughed._

Louisa clicked on the next video and Will, Alec and Steven appeared. Steven was sitting in the highchair and they were smiling at each other. Will was wearing a pair of large, plastic glasses with the number one on the arms of the glasses and Steven was covered with smashed birthday cake with a paper hat with a number one the front was on his head.

"_Is that good cake?" Will asked and Steven looked at the large chunk of smashed cake in his right hand. He held out the large chunk when Will opened his mouth and Steven fed him. Will chewed then he swallowed and he smacked his lips. "Oh, yeah, that is __**so**__ good!"_

_Steven giggled as he clapped his tiny hands and Will made a goofy face._

Louisa clicked on the next video when she looked at Steven standing on Will's thighs and his tiny hands were on Will's chest.

"_Ok, Buddy, let's try again. Say "dada"," Will said and Steven lightly jumped up and down. Steven could say "mama', "ball" and some other words, but he still couldn't say "dada"._

"_Maybe you're not saying it right," Alec said and Will glanced at him._

"_No, I'm saying it right."_

"_No, you __**are**__ saying it wrong," Louisa's voice said and Will frowned. He thought for a few seconds then he sighed, rolling his eyes._

"_Say "papa"," Will said and Steven looked at him. "Pa. Pa."_

"_Papa," Steven said and Will smiled._

"_Yes! Papa!"_

"_Papa Boo!" Steven said, jumping up and down._

"_Close enough," Will said and he gave Steven a hug._

Louisa clicked on the next video as she looked at Will moving the wheelchair back and Steven was sitting on the floor a few feet away. She remembered Will calling for her with such urgency in his voice and he had told her to bring the camera.

"_Will, what's going on?" Louisa's voice asked._

"_He's been pulling up on the coffee table again. I think he might be ready," Will said. They watched Steven look at the coffee table when he pulled himself up and he stood on wobbly legs. He looked at Will and Louisa as Will barely nodded his head and the camera shook slightly. "It's ok. You can do it."_

_Steven looked down again then at them when he picked up one foot, put it down then he picked up the other foot._

"_Oh," Louisa's voice said and Will held his arms out._

"_Come on. That's it."_

_Steven slowly headed for Will when Steven walked to the right side of the wheelchair and he placed his hands on the arm of the wheelchair._

"_Woooooooooooo-oooooooop!" Will cheered as Steven clapped his little hands then he flopped down onto his bottom. He gave Will a pout as Will smiled and he lightly shook his head. "Hey. Not tears. That was amazing."_

_Louisa handed Will the camera as she picked Steven off the floor and she picked Steven up, giving their son a hug._

Louisa heard someone walking down the hallway when she turned the laptop off and she placed the laptop on the bed as Josie appeared in the doorway.

"It's time, Love. We have to go," she said. Nodding, Louisa got off the bed as they left the room and they headed down the small hallway.

The sun was shining while Louisa sat on the wooden folding chair and she looked straight ahead. She hadn't really been listening to what was being said as she blinked her eyes a few times and she fought the urge to bite her nails. She heard someone call her name as she stood then she walked by the other wooden folding chairs.

She walked up the stairs as she looked straight ahead and Headmaster Paul Williams smiled at her. She held out her hand when she took the diploma and he shook hands with her.

"Congratulations," he said and she nodded. She was a little startled when she heard "woooooooooooooo-ooooooop!" coming from her right and she smiled, shaking her head. She headed for the stairs when she walked down the stairs and she headed toward Will, who was sitting in his wheelchair at the end of front row where the families were sitting. She slid her arms around him as their heads touched and he hugged her.

"Well done, Clark," he whispered then he kissed her cheek and she moved back, lightly ruffling his hair. She knew she had to returned to her seat as he gave her a wink and she walked away.

Later that night, the bedroom was quiet while Will rested on his back and Louisa placed the medical file and medical equipment in the drawer. She got under the covers while she looked at Will and he reached his arms out for her. She got into bed as she moved the covers up and she slid into his embrace. She placed her head against his shoulder while he glanced at her and deep dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled.

"I am so proud of you," he said. She smiled up at him when a serious look appeared on his face and he sighed. "Why were you looking so serious when you got in the van?"

"I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Well, you know I received two job offers…"

"Right. One in London and the other in New York."

"I can't decide which one to say yes to. I mean both of them are for prestigious agencies."

"Two of the top agencies in the world."

"And the head of the agency in New York sent me a video of my office."

"Got to love the view."

"But the agency in London is closer."

"Closer?"

"It's closer to our families and friends. Closer to Alec' school. Closer…"

"Closer to my doctors and specialists."

"Will…"

"No, I'm not saying you're delaying this because of me. Martin has offered me the junior partnership again and he said I could run the office we have in New York or London. So, I fully understand you're being apprehensive."

"Then which one should I pick?"

"As I told you before, I want to be there for you like you had been there for me. And I love being a home daddy. You also have to remember all I ever wanted was for you to live. I wanted you to follow your dreams and experience what life has to offer. There is a whole new world out there and it is waiting for you to jump in with both feet. It is true that if we go to New York, we don't know what's going to happen. We don't know what is ahead of us. But I am willing to take a chance if you are. And you have to remember there was no _me_ before _you_. Not really. I was just existing. Just living for thrills, having affairs with one woman or another and the next deal. When I had my accident, I thought I was done. I was done. I didn't care if I lived or died. I just wanted it over. You? You let one horrible thing keep you in one place. The thought of how people would react if they found out let you settle for the mundane and ordinary. When we got together, things changed. _We_ changed. And there is _nothing _we can't do as long as we're together. Even if we aren't together for whatever reason, we both know we can survive whatever life throws at us. We are _survivors_, Clark."

Will felt her tears moving down his neck as he held her and Louisa kissed his chest.

"We're going to New York," she finally said and dimples dented his cheeks as he smiled.

"Tell me something. Why were you dressed all in black? You look like you were going to a funeral."

"Don't blame me," she said, giggling. "Each member of my graduation class given a color and that was the color of the outfit we had to wear to graduation and to the graduation parties."

"Ah."

"Did you like how I looked?"

"You looked amazing."

"Poor Chrissy. She had to wear something in tangerine."

"Is that what that color was?" he asked and she nodded.

"I also felt so sorry for Nat. He had to wear something in fuchsia."

Will soft laughed when he heard something and he looked at the baby monitor. Even though Steven was almost two, they decided to keep the monitor in his room and Will frowned.

"What's wrong?" she asked and he moved the bedding back.

"I'll be right back," he said, reaching for the crutches leaning against the night table. He carefully sat up when he pushed off the mattress and he held onto the crutches. Louisa looked at the brace which went from his waist down to his toes and he slightly turned to look at her. "Enjoying the view?"

"Yes," she said and she reached over to lightly smack his bottom. Will liked the fact he barely felt that as he laughed then he slowly left the room and she leaned against the pillows. Getting out of bed, she walked to the table when she picked up her laptop, walked back to bed, and she sat against the pillows. She opened the top of the laptop when she pushed the power button and the screen came on. She looked at the files when she clicked on the video and Will appeared on the screen. He was sitting in the wheelchair while wearing a harness and he gave her a doubtful look. He had gone for some more treatments and they were overjoyed when he was able to feel his legs, feet and toes.

"_Are you ready?" Doctor Odinsen's voice asked._

"_Not really, but I've come this far. No way I am going to back out now," Will said._

"_You do this, Mate," Nathan said. He, Devon, Camilla, Steven, Georgina, Louisa's family, Alec and Steven appeared on the screen and she heard the soft sound of Will's sighing._

"_I'm ready," Will said._

She watched as the harness slowly lifted Will onto his feet as he made a small moan and he told her it hurt when the harness started moving upward.

"_Do you want to sit back down?" Doctor Odinsen's voice asked._

"_No. I'm fine."_

_She had handed Lars the camera when she walked to Will and she was surprised with how tall he was._

"_Don't look so shocked, Clark."_

"_How tall are you?" she asked._

"_I'm five feet eleven."_

"_Then I guess I'm going to have to get used to looking up at you instead of you looking up at me," she teased and she slid her arms around his waist. She went onto her tiptoes to kiss him and the sound of applause filled the air._

Louisa moved the cursor when she clicked on the next video and Willa appeared on the screen. He was wearing a gray t-shirt, gray track trousers and braces on his legs and he was holding onto the handles of the walker.

"_Are you ready?" Nathan's voice asked._

"_No," Will said._

"_You can sit down if you want," Doctor Odinsen's voice said. Will started to open his mouth when the camera moved and Steven and Alec stood a few feet away from him._

"_Papa Boo. You do," Steven said, holding his arms out._

"_Yeah, Papa Bear. You can do this," Alec said._

_The camera turned to Will as he sighed, moved the walker forward then the camera moved down to his bare feet. He slowly slid his right foot forward then his left foot and the camera moved back up._

"_Keep going," Louisa's voice said. The camera moved back down to his feet, but he didn't slide his right foot forward. He lifted his right foot, put his foot down then he repeated with his left foot. He took four more steps as the camera panned up and he glanced at her. The camera moved when she appeared in front of Will and she moved the walker away, wrapping her arms around him._

"_Well done, Pinocchio," she said and he wrapped her arms around her._

"What are you looking at, Clark?" made her look up as she saw Will and Steven in the doorway and Steven ran to the bed, climbing up to sit next to her.

"I was just looking at the videos of the first time you stood up and the first time you walked," she said, turning the laptop off, placing the laptop on the night table. She looked at Steven as she wrapped her arms around him and Steven leaned against her. "What's wrong, Sweetie?"

"I had bad dream," Steven said and she kissed the top of his head.

"I said he could sleep in here with us," Will said after he got back in bed and he placed the crutches next to the night table.

"What's going on?" Alec asked in a sleepy tone as he stood in the doorway.

"Stevie had a bad dream," Will said.

"Oh."

"Awec," Steven said, reaching out for him and Alec walked to the bed. Louisa looked at Will as Will softly laughed and he moved the bedding back.

"Fair's fair, Clark," Will said.

"You're right. Good thing we have a big bed," she said and Alec got onto the bed, settling down next to Will's left side. Will moved the bedding up as Steven snuggled next to Louisa and Will looked at the ceiling then he yawned.

"Lights off," Will said, closing his eyes.

The lights went off while Louisa, Alec and Steven snugged under the bedding and Will slid his left arm around his oldest son. Louisa watched her boys drift off to sleep when she looked at the frames on the wall and she could just see the photos from the light coming from outside. She smiled at the photo of Will lying on his back with Alec lying on top of him and Steven was lying on top of Alec. They were all smiling and Louisa felt the love coming from the photo. Suddenly, her eyes caught the dark wood frame as she blinked and she could just make out what was in the frame.

In the dark wood frame was a piece of paper which read: **"The victim should have the right to end his life, if he wants. But I think it would be a great mistake. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope." - Stephen Hawking**

Closing her eyes, she wrapped her right arm around Steven as she sighed and she soon drifted off to sleep.

_**A/N: I hope I didn't scare anyone at the beginning of the chapter. Lol! When I read this quote by Professor Hawking, I thought of Will and thought it worked with the story. On a side note: I know he's just a fictional character, but it is sad to think Will has been dead for ten years. Wherever he is, I hope he is at peace and knows Lou took his advice. She is living her life.**_


End file.
